


Prism

by DumbWoojae



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Lawyer!Jaehyun, M/M, Murder, Plot Twist, Violence, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-03-24 21:01:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13819374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DumbWoojae/pseuds/DumbWoojae
Summary: And between all the people in the world, this had to happen to Doyoung.Alt: In the future, crimes can be solved through memories, but big surprises are waiting for Doyoung.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello it's me, I'm alive! there are a few things I want you to know before reading this: First of all, this work is actually already complete, but I haven't decided how many chapters it's going to have since I haven't divided the parts still, I was planning to just make one long work but I thought it'd may be more thrilling this was so here I am with my first chaptered fic.
> 
> Second, (besides not dividing the parts) I haven't really edited this at all lmao but I'm still posting it so hopefully I'll get inspired enough to do so, if not then I'm just gonna post the messy thing I have and pray for the anxiety not to be that bad, so don't worry about updates I'll try to do so regularly.
> 
> Also! english is NOT my first language so this might contain typos here and there (or everywhere) so feel free to point them out so I can correct them and improve, hopefully you'll enjoy this story and it'll actually excite you and all instead of just boring you to death, so that's it you can start now. 
> 
> ((also thank you for clicking this though the summary probably wasn't even that interesting, I suck at summaries and titles and welp everything hehe))

Taeyong, at least in Doyoung’s head, has always been quiet and submissive. He’s obsessed with cleaning and organizing, yes, but that isn’t necessarily something bad; he’s also kind and soft to the point it makes you want to pat his head and tell him he’s doing a good job even when he isn’t, just to make him feel better.

 

Maybe it’s because this description of him is so engraved into Doyoung’s mind that he himself can’t believe Taeyong killed Taeil.

 

Hidden behind the dryer, he’s still in shock, unable to move even as Taeyong lays Taeil’s lifeless body into a black plastic bag and starts cleaning the mess he had done while stabbing him like an animal.

 

Quietly and making sure to be still completely covered by the dryer Doyoung looks out through the small window over his head, he gets barely a glimpse of the street, car lights momentarily passing by to quickly fade into the night. He struggles to keep his breath even, desperate to make no sound, if Taeyong sees him, finds out he was there hiding behind the dryer the whole time, it’s gonna be his end too, and Doyoung is too young to die.

 

So was Taeil, his cries and muffled screams and begs echo Doyoung’s head and he has to bite his tongue and cover his mouth with his hands so he won’t let the desperate cry and the sound of horror stuck in his throat out.

 

After a while of fumbling around, cleaning the immense quantity of blood that had been drained from Taeil’s body and into the cold tales of the improvised washing room on the basement, Taeyong sighs heavily, it’s a sound Doyoung’s heard before, he does it every time he finishes doing anything he finds exhausting –Taeil had let it slip once, while being drunk, that his boyfriend made that noise after sex too–, and the familiarity of his actions push another sob up Doyoung’s throat he needs to suppress.

 

How could Taeyong do this? He was Taeil’s boyfriend after all, they loved each other like only people in movies get to love, Taeyong used to look at Taeil like he had the starts hanging from his hair and two small moons on his eyes, it was tooth rotting sweet and even if Doyoung would more often than not tell them to cut the crap and get a room he was happy to know that his best friend had found someone who loved him like he deserved.

 

That was, of course, until Taeyong murdered him, and now Doyoung’s left wondering how much of that love was true.

 

Taeyong, without taking off the gloves he used to clean, takes Taeil’s body by the feet and starts dragging him up the stairs, the sound of Taeil’s head hitting and hitting and hitting once again against each step is something Doyoung will never be able to get out of his head, the disgusting sound of hard bone hitting against hardwood accompanied with the rustling of the plastic bag. Doyoung wants to throw up. He holds back a gag, clenching his hands against his stomach and closing his eyes, taking deep steady breaths until the sound disappears.

 

He doesn’t move right away, he’s not stupid, he knows Taeyong is still in the house, and pretending he’s out is the best way to get away from this.

 

Taeyong coming back down to roam around the room never crossed Doyoung’s head, and he holds his breath when he hears the steps coming down stairs once again, Doyoung’s legs hurt, just like his back and his hips and his neck, sitting against the wall with your legs against your chest, angling your body to fit in, isn’t the best position to be for so long, but he can’t move or he’ll be exposed.

 

He listens quietly while Taeyong moves things, continuing to take deep breathes as to control his growing panic. He moves an inch to his right, just so he’s able to see what Taeyong doing’s, knowing how dangerous it is, that inch could be the difference between life and death for him, but he still does.

 

The older is searching around the room,  _he’s checking it_ , and Doyoung has to cover his mouth again as to quiet down his breath, desperation winning against him.

 

After a few minutes, Doyoung can hear him approaching, and he instinctively holds his breath. Taeyong opens the washing machine, then he opens the dryer, and scoffs. Doyoung’s pants are there, he knows, he put them in the washing machine and then in the dryer even if it was fucking 2 am because he had poured coffee over them accidently while working. Now he regrets, but it’s too late for that.

 

“These are too long to be Taeil’s” Taeyong says, “Then… Doyoung?” He calls out loud, Doyoung's sure,  _more than sure_ , that Taeyong knows he’s there.

 

He holds his hand against his chest, as to muffle his frenetic heartbeats, they’re so loud Doyoung feels like they’re echoing on the room and he’s scared to _death_  Taeyong will be able to hear them. Few seconds pass by, Doyoung’s lungs are burning, he needs to breathe, but he’s afraid Taeyong will hear him.

 

“Doyoung are you there?” Taeyong says again, and Doyoung bites the inside of his cheek so hard it bleeds, eyes screwed shut.

 

Against his own will and more for cheer instinct, Doyoung takes a breath, it’s slow and quiet to make sure Taeyong won’t hear him, he’s scared like he has never been and his brain is tricking him, sending images of Taeyong pocking his head through the space at Doyoung’s right, saying ‘ _I got you’_ , stabbing him as many times or more than he stabbed Taeil.

 

“Doyoung?” Taeyong tries once again, and Doyoung can hear him moving stuff around, “He wouldn’t leave the clothes on the dryer just like that” Taeyong mumbles to himself, Doyoung panics because Taeyong knows him well, “and he isn’t in his bedroom.”

 

Not a sob nor his breath but a scream gets stuck in Doyoung’s throat this time, Taeyong had been on his room, he broke into his and Taeil’s house, killed Taeil and then he went to Doyoung’s room,  _to kill him too_ , right after killing who he more than once said was the love of his life. What kind of monster is Taeyong? What kind of monster was his best friend dating?

 

Taeyong lets out a heavy sigh again, he throws Doyoung’s jeans to the floor and the younger can hear him opening a can, a chair from the small table he and Taeil used to fold their clothes on is pulled and Doyoung supposes Taeyong sat there to drink whatever the hell he was drinking, because that makes a lot of sense, you murder someone into their own house and then you sit where you killed them to take a drink. Of course, murdering must be exhausting, especially since Taeil offered resistance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It had been, until the moment it turned gore, just very Taeyong and Taeil.

 

Doyoung had been waiting for the dryer to finish with his pants, he had fallen asleep working and had a nightmare, waking up with a jolt and pouring all of his already cold coffee over them. He heard the voices coming a second after the dryer stopped, he was still paranoid about his dream, so he quickly made his way to small space between the wall and the dryer, surprised he could fit in such a small space, breathing heavily.

 

Taeyong and Taeil got into the room, for the disgusting sounds they were making Doyoung knew immediately that they were making out, he rolled his eyes, it was so cliché of them to come down to the basement to make out, but then, they didn’t know Doyoung was awake, and if they made out upstairs they could’ve woke him up, so he was glad they were considerate enough not to.

 

Taeil let out a moan and Doyoung’s whole face went immediately pink, he was ready to get out of the place and tell them to fucking wait until he was out of the room, but then Taeil made this sound, like a gasp, but it wasn’t the kind of gasp you would make when something good happens, it was a gasp that turned Doyoung’s blood into cold ice and made his mind feel dizzy, uneasiness drowning his senses. He moved a bit out to see what was happening, right hand gripping on the side of the dryer and half of his body leaned out, Taeil had been sitting on the table with Taeyong between his legs, Taeyong’s back facing Doyoung, Taeil’s hands had been on his shoulders, and his eyes were a mix of emotions Doyoung would never be able to explain.

 

Taeyong raised his hand then and Doyoung could see it, the knife covered in scarlet, Doyoung’s mind shut down, he couldn’t move from the position he was on,  _what was happening?_  Taeil’s eyes met his and widened even more in horror, it was the slap on the face Doyoung needed to get out of his mesmerized state and he made a move to stand up, but Taeil quickly shook his head to tell him not to before he was pushed down on the table, Taeyong covering his mouth while he stabbed him again and again and again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Taeyong leaves the room, three canes of whatever he was drinking later, Doyoung is already crying, hot tears rolling down his face yet not a single sound being made, the sun’s about to go up, he can see through the small window how the sky is getting clearer and clearer as hours pass.

 

The front door slams shut and Doyoung immediately rises to his feet, ignoring the barely manageable pain in each part of his body as he stares out the window properly and sees how Taeyong’s car moves away in the early morning.

 

Of fucking course he calls the police right away, crying and screaming into the phone while telling them what happened, Taeil’s body is nowhere to be found, Taeyong must have taken it with him.

 

When the cops arrive he’s sitting in front of the door, hugging his legs to his chest and rocking himself back and forth like that’s going to fucking help on anything more than making him look like he’s crazy.

 

“Did you call us, sir?” One of the cups says, Doyoung can tell he’s young, maybe a few years older than himself, “What is wrong? Tell us what is wrong.”

 

Doyoung tells them, crying and moving his arms all around, hitting his head while telling them how he didn’t help his friend, the young policeman grabs his arms to stop him from hurting himself but Doyoung gets even more desperate, crying harder and shaking himself off the grip, barely rolling through the floor.

 

They take him to the police station, he has a cup of coffee on his hand and a blanket over his shoulders while they wait for him to calm down enough to fill the repot.

 

“So this man was your best friend’s boyfriend?” The police officer says, she’s being the nicest person Doyoung has ever met and he wants to scream and cry again, he nods his head instead, “are you sure it was him?”

 

Doyoung explains her, albeit he feels like it’s not him, how Taeyong called for him when he found his pants, he explains to her as much of it as he can, crying again and leaving the mug of coffee over the table to get cold without even getting a sip of it. It’s some weird kind of out of body experience, he knows he’s telling the story, he’s conscious of his tears and the way his sobs are so incredibly pathetic, but it’s as if he was someone else, drained of any emotion besides sadness like Taeil’s body had been drained of most of its blood.

 

“I assume you want to present charges, of course” The police officer looks at Doyoung from under her eyelashes with a look that can only be described as pitiful while he covers his face and nods desperately.

 

“I hope you understand it’s just for protocol” she says after pressing and pressing the keyboard in front of her, “but we need to see your memories.”

 

 _Oh_.

 

 _That_.

 

It isn’t weird nor anything too shocking, it had been discovered years and years ago, they’d put a metal skull over your head, maybe some cables and then the machine would show your memories, it would go to the precise part of your brain they wanted it to go, and see for real whatever happened. It worked in most people, only around 1% of the world population was immune to the system, they could make the machine show whatever they wanted it to show instead of just their memories, but that was such a rare case. Another 1% was, like, allergic, their bodies couldn’t take the impulses the system sent through their bodies, it most likely ended in convulsions and the screen of the machine showing nothing.

 

They test Doyoung’s blood to see if he was part of any of those percentages, determining it though chromosomes or whatever thing he can’t remember anymore since it was taught to him in high school.  Doyoung closes his eyes and breathes in deeply, holding someone’s hand at his right to keep himself from going into a panic attack, he was never afraid of needles or blood, but after what happened he doesn’t think he can see blood ever again in his life.

 

When the kind officer outs the room where they tested the blood she doesn’t seem as kind anymore, there is a tint of something in her eyes Doyoung can’t quite name.

 

“You are a scorpion” she says, and hands Doyoung the results on a paper sheet.

 

A scorpion is how you call someone immune, the ones able to inject memories into the machine like venom through the veins have that reputation.

 

Doyoung freezes, he looks at the paper but he’s not able to move, to grab it, from the angle he can’t even see what’s on it, but all he can think about right now is  _what am I going to do?_

 

Since its creation the DMS or Decoding Memory System has been a keystone into any kind of case, so much it ended up being technically obligatory to use to prove that you were not lying. Of course, millions of crimes were solved and it made the judgmental system ten times better and easier, but with the existence of scorpions came also the dark side of it, people getting paid enormous quantities of money to testify against the innocents, using their ability to convince everyone that the lie was actually the truth, and ever since scorpions have never been really taken seriously during judgments, their ability making the unworthy from any sort of trust.

 

And now Doyoung, the witness of a murder, happens to be a scorpion.

 

Very fucking great.

 

“Taeyong” is the first things that comes to Doyoung’s head, “You can see into Taeyong, I’m gonna give you his direction, you can arrest him and you’ll know” his voice's desperate, breath already uneven.

 

Taeyong can’t simply get away from it, he can’t.

 

They do arrest Taeyong, he looks at Doyoung dead in the eyes with a murderous expression while they take him into the commissary and push him into a cell. They test his blood too, of course, and Doyoung waits impatiently pacing around the hall until the officer is out again, her eyebrows are furrowed and she hands Doyoung the paper sheet for him to look at.

 

_Subject Name: Lee Taeyong_

_Age: 26 years old_

_Nature: easily affected, unstable._

 

Doyoung falls to his knees with the paper between his hands, looking at it like it was all the most cruel joke in the world, what where the possibilities that between everybody Doyoung was part of the 1% immune at the machine and Taeyong was part of the 1% that was unable to even get close to it? It was fucking ridiculous.

 

“This is fucking ridiculous” Doyoung says, his voice breaking due desperation.

 

“I can agree with that, sir” the officer says, she looks at him pitifully but Doyoung can see that she doesn’t entirely trust him anymore. Of course she doesn’t, because he’s a fucking scorpion.


	2. Chapter 2

There’s this kind of rule in society –at least between police officers, judges and the jury– that scorpions are people you can’t trust in. Doyoung doesn’t blame them, who knows, maybe if he was on their spots he wouldn’t trust himself either, but he still can’t help the wave of fury he feels for them, being so despot towards him during the judgment.

 

Taeyong’s statement is that he didn’t even leave the house, that he hadn’t talked to Taeil since earlier that day and was absolutely devastated to wake up to police officers telling him his boyfriend was dead, and his lawyer told everybody in the room a ridiculous theory where Doyoung killed Taeil and was actually trying to incriminate Taeyong, the poor little heartbroken guy for it.

 

Doyoung’s lawyer does the best he can, Doyoung can tell, he uses arguments Doyoung would have never been able to think about himself, but the people in the court still don’t seem to believe him. It made a lot more of sense, they said, that Doyoung, who lived with Taeil, killed him and tried to blame it all on Taeyong, the reasons though, are Doyoung’s favorite part of the crazy story Taeyong and his lawyer made up: According to them, Doyoung could have killed Taeil because he was in love with him and didn’t want him to be with Taeyong, or maybe he was in love with Taeyong and killed Taeil to get him out of the way (why would he even incriminate Taeyong if that was the case?), both were so ridiculous Doyoung couldn’t pick his favorite one.

 

Unable to set a foot in his own house, he seeks shelter with Ten, who receives him with open arms and even takes Doyoung’s things from his house so he doesn’t have to be in the same place his long-life best friend was murdered. Ten is Doyoung’s second best friend, has been since they started college, so of course he doesn’t think Doyoung is lying, Ten knows he would never be able to hurt Taeil in any way, and he offers endless support, Doyoung can’t be more grateful.

 

 

 

 

 

One night, his lawyer calls, it’s not unusual but Doyoung never gets used to it. He sits on the table in Ten’s kitchen, while the later uses one hand to massage his neck, and answers the call.

 

“Good night Doyoung, how are you?” his lawyer says, Doyoung is familiar with his tired voice.

 

“Hello, I’m okay, is there anything that needs to be discussed?” Doyoung asks, not having the courtesy to ask back and instead jumping into what’s really important.

 

“Yes, there is” his lawyer sighs, “I’m gonna be direct, this case isn’t going anywhere Doyoung, you’re a scorpion, they won’t believe you, there’s nothing I can do about that.”

 

Doyoung tenses, if his lawyer suggests him to give up on the case, Doyoung is going to fucking lose it.

 

“I won’t tell you to give up on the case” he says, like reading Doyoung’s mind, “but I don’t think I’m the right one to be defending you. There is another lawyer I know, he’s famous for cases like this, maybe you should contact him, I can give you his information if you want, and I hope he helps you more than I could.”

 

Dyoung agrees, of course he does, writing down every piece of information his ex-lawyer has to offer about the person that might be defending him from now on – _might be_ , because they could still choose to say no to help him. 

 

Making an appointment is a nightmare, it's always he's too busy this day he doesn't work this other, but after almost a week of trying Doyoung finally finds himself sitting in an office waiting for his turn. The man, Jung YoonOh, is in fact very famous for solving cases ‘similar’ to Doyoung’s –None of them implying _both_ a scorpion and an immune subject, but one of two is already a progress–, as soon as he searched for him on the internet he found a whole lot of articles worshipping how much of a great lawyer he is, Doyoung hopes it’s true, and he hopes this person will help him to make Taeyong pay for murdering his best friend.

 

A young lady approaches him and tells him to get into an office, which he supposes it’s YoonOh’s, so he does. The place is empty but there’s a door at the right end of the room, it’s open and a waterfall of light is falling out of it, so Doyoung sits in front of the desk and waits until the lawyer makes his way out. It takes good 15 minutes, but then YoonOh is making his way into the office.

 

The man in front of him is tall, even more than Doyoung himself though not much, his hair is dark brown and his suit black contrasting with snow pale skin, he’s chewing on something, the action forming a deep dimple on his cheek, and he looks kind of surprised to see Doyoung.

 

“Oh, hello” he walks towards the desk and Doyoung stands up, “Ah, you must be Mr. Kim, sorry” He says, and places the folders he was holding on his desk so he’s able to shake Doyoung’s hands with a dimpled smile.

 

“You can call me Doyoung, it’s fine.”

 

They discuss the case, Doyoung jumps straight to the point and YoonOh doesn’t seem surprised or upset in the slightest, following every word flowing out of Doyoung’s mouth and making notes about this and that he thinks could be important.

 

“Since how long you knew Mr. Moon?” YoonOh asks, eyeing one of the folders with the information on the case.

 

“Since forever, our mothers were friends” Doyoung answers, swallowing the thick knot in his throat.

 

“I’m so sorry to hear that” YoonOh’s eyes are truly pitiful, like he doesn’t doubt Doyoung, like he believes Doyoung is telling the truth, and that just makes him want to cry, because all along the three months that this case has been on the court not a single person in the penal system has looked at Doyoung like they even slightly believe him. “I promise I will work hard so we can make justice to your friend” he nods, and looks at the clock at the side of his desk, “It’s lunch time already, would you like to accompany me? My treat.”

 

Doyoung politely declines, he doesn’t want to take advantage of YoonOh’s pity, even if he’s starving to death and is mainly gonna run to the nearest place where they sell anything eatable as soon as he sets a foot out of the office –the consequences of not taking breakfast.

 

Declining, however, was useless, because YoonOh simply wouldn’t give up –he’s a lawyer, after all–, insisting that maybe they can talk about the case a little more, and when Doyoung finally gives up in accompanying him then YoonOh insists more in the whole thing being his treat, Doyoung can’t get his urge to be the one paying –probably because, again, he’s a lawyer, he must have a very good quantity of money, or so Doyoung assumes, and reassures himself that an extra coffee and a sandwich won’t make him go to bankrupt.

 

They walk quietly to a near café and once the orders are ready they settle in one of the tables, eating along the same quietness that accompanied them on their way to the place, the silence isn’t necessarily uncomfortable, but Doyoung finds himself thinking hard about a good conversational subject to break the ice.

 

“Have you ever been here before?” YoonOh asks, looking at him from under his eyelashes before biting the remaining peace of his sandwich.

 

“Not really” He shakes his head, “I supposed we just came because it’s near.”

 

“This is my favorite cafeteria” YoonOh says then, “I come here for lunch every day.”

 

“I don’t think that’s sane” Doyoung comments, shaking his head, and YoonOh lets out a small cute laugh.

 

“You’re probably right” He says, smiling wide, “I like cooking, but I’m too lazy to do it so early in the morning, I prefer buying my food instead.”

 

Doyoung noticed before, obviously, how attractive YoonOh is. It’s not all that important, Doyoung has eyes, he can tell when someone’s good looking, and he’s interacted with a lot of good looking people in his life, it’s alright, it doesn’t necessarily affect him.

 

Expect of course for the fact that YoonOh does affect him. Somehow. It’s kind of unexplainable. Like he has this weird power over Doyoung, but he tries hard to ignore it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They reunite again after three days, YoonOh calls him and asks him to meet on the same cafeteria they visited before, Doyoung is a bit surprised they’re not meeting in his office but he keeps his comments to himself as he enters the cafeteria and sits on the table, YoonOh being already there.

 

“Hello Doyoung, how have you been?” He says with a bright smile on his equally bright face.

 

“Hi, I’ve been okay I guess, what about you?” Doyoung answers awkwardly, unable to tear his eyes apart the person in front of him.

 

“I have been studying your case” YoonOh says, looking back down at the folders resting on the table, his jacket's on the back of his chair and his sleeves are rolled up to half of his forearm, his thin reading glasses without frame rolled down the bridge of his nose, he bites his pen for a second furrowing his eyebrows, he looks hot, “Our hands are really tied, aren’t they?” he adds then, giving his companion a small smile.

 

“You could tell, yes” Doyoung answers, “It’s absolutely ridiculous how the circumstances turned out” he rests his elbow on the table and his forehead in the palm of his hand, “out of all people, he’s unsteady and I’m immune, there’s no fucking way to prove it, they had to investigate it all at the old school style.”

 

“Yeah, that didn’t end up so well either, right’” YoonOh says, Doyoung’s getting used to his pitiful eyes.

 

“He was wearing gloves when cleaning, and he kind of lived with us you know? Since he was Taeil’s boyfriend and all” He lets out a heavy sigh, “His fingerprints were all around the house, like mine and Taeil’s, so there wasn’t much that could be proven out of that.”

 

“The police also asked his neighbors if they saw him leave the house but no one did, they searched in his house and yours without anything strange showing –besides the enormous quantity of blood stains in your basement–, none of you have any kind of criminal record, and the body was never found” YoonOh reads from a paper sheet, “This is demonstrated to be a very hard case and we’ll have to work very hard to get it. Doyoung, please don’t get offended, but if there’s something you’re not telling me I’m your lawyer, and I need to know.” 

 

Doyoung doesn’t get offended, people’s been insinuating he’s the actual murderer since three months ago, it doesn’t surprise him in the slightest that YoonOh makes the accusation too, even if he does it softly.

 

“I’ve told you everything” he says, putting his arms down and looking at YoonOh dead in the eyes.

 

“Alright then, I’m gonna make everything in my hands to prove that you’re innocent” He says while smirking, looking determinate, like he truly doesn’t doubt Doyoung at all, and then he asks, “May I invite you a coffee?”

 

“No, please” Doyoung says, “let me invite you this time.”

 

“You’re spending enough money on me” YoonOh chuckles, “Let me buy you the coffee.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay hello uh, ksjaf I'm sorry, this whole chapter is kinda messy y'know, I tried to make the trial better but I just ??? idk I'm not good at this lmao

They spend innumerable hours together working on the case, correcting every piece of Doyoung’s statement that could somehow be twisted against him and trying to unite inexistent dots that could possibly incriminate Taeyong. When the day of the next session arrives, a month later, YoonOh does an incredible job, talks with fierce, like he’s defending his own self.

 

“Let’s not forget, Mrs. Judge, that the accuser is a scorpion, he could very easily be making this up to incriminate my client, why would he kill his own boyfriend, who he loved dearly? The body is yet to be found, too.” The man at Taeyong’s table states, narrowing his eyes at Doyoung’s and YoonOh’s direction, the judge didn’t flinch.

 

“May I say then that the accused happens to be unsteady too? we can’t see into his memories just like we can’t see into my client’s, why is it that this has to be turned against him?” YoonOh says, voice even, “The accused might have been the victim’s boyfriend but my client was his best friend ever since they were children, and, correct me if I’m wrong, but are you insinuating Mr. Moon is still alive? Even when there are imminent proofs that a monstrous act took place into the basement of his very house?”

 

“I'm not insinuating a thing” Taeyong’s lawyer cuts YoonOh off, “Do I need to remind everyone in the room that there were no hints found against my client?”

 

“Maybe there were but due the great amount of time he spent in my client’s house they didn’t seem to be, besides, there aren’t hints against my client either” It’s YoonOh’s time to cut Taeyong’s lawyer off, “I know, ladies and gentlemen from the jury, that many scorpions have sell their honesty and honor to fool everyone with their ability, but let’s see it from another perspective: Mr. Lee can’t show us his memories either, right Mr. Lee?” He looks at Taeyong, it’s kind of weird, Taeyong has been looking at YoonOh ever since he walked into the room, he must know who he is because he seems a bit distracted and avoids eye contact, “How many cases have been presented where the person who’s guilty uses this ability for their own good too? Isn’t it what’s happening right now? For what I know, the very first day on this court Mr. Lee and his lawyer came with a lot of theories already about why my client could have possibly killed his best friend, easy since they know how the penal system doesn’t trust scorpions and since Mr. Lee is unable to show us his memories.”

 

“Objection!” Taeyong’s lawyer violently screams, standing up.

 

YoonOh, however, stays calm as if he’s taking a stroll around the park.

 

“Also I need to remember everybody in the room the delicate mental stability my client has been put through due witnessing the act, he has to see a therapist and take medicines to control his panic attacks.”

 

“That can be faked!” Taeyong’s lawyer screams again.

 

“He also has to take special medicines to sleep, he can barely close an eye at night because the nightmares about the murder hunt him down, you can ask his therapist about it” YoonOh calmly stands up and hands a guard a folder that contains Doyoung’s therapy information so he can hand it to the judge, “Inside the folder you can find the problems he presents now and didn’t four months ago.”

 

Taeyong’s lawyer is red in the face while looking at their direction, alternating his sight between YoonOh and Doyoung, he does this for a while before an argument pops up in his head. Taeyong remains looking at the table, seemingly nervous and sad, and act he has been pulling for far too long.

 

“That could also be caused by murdering his _best friend_ ” he says, the tint of irony on his voice pisses Doyoung off, “let’s say he did it out of impulse, then he’d experience-”

 

“I’d have never hurt Taeil!” Doyoung screams before he can stop himself, YoonOh places a hand on his shoulder to calm him down while Taeyong’s disgusting lawyer looks at him with an awful grin, he was probably seeking to piss Doyoung off.

 

Congratulations to that motherfucker, he did.

 

The jury, though, doesn’t seem to buy the lawyer’s statement, most of them narrowing their eyes at him and whispering between themselves.

 

“My client is willing to be tested, your honor” YoonOh answers right away, “It wouldn’t be the first time, as you can see in the folder I just handed you.”

 

“Why would that hel-” Taeyong’s lawyer starts, but he’s cut short.

 

“Quiet” The judge says, looking at him severely, and then she eyes the folder with Doyoung’s therapy documents, “the accuser must be submitted to a minimum of three tests with one of the therapists at the order of this court, the results must be placed on this desk by next session and the therapist on charge must also give testimony on the results, that’s it for today, you can go home.” She slams the hammer against the table.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doyoung invites YoonOh for drinks to celebrate the spectacular work he made, his old lawyer never thought of using his medical registers, deeming them unnecessary and useless, so Doyoung couldn’t have imagined how the tables would turn with something as simple as that and a few smart comments, now everyone suspect Taeyong too, finally. Doyoung has to admit it, YoonOh is really, really good.

 

YoonOh insists to go to his department instead of a bar, because he hates bars –Doyoung can’t blame him, he hates bars too, it’s too stuffy and there are always idiots around. The apartment is nice, big and just luxurious enough; Doyoung places the bags with the alcohol they bought earlier on the coffee table in the living room and looks around.

 

“Take a sit, please” YoonOh says, entering the kitchen and then going out with two big glasses full of ice.

 

They pour beer into them and toast for YoonOh’s great Job.

 

When they finish all the beer they move on to a bottle of vodka YoonOh has saved around, claiming that the night is still too young.

 

“You did a great today” Doyoung says, probably for the millionth time, so absolutely drunk.

 

“Ah, I’m shy, I just did my work” YoonOh says, smiling contently, cheeks pink due alcohol and Doyoung can’t help himself but pinch them.

 

“You’re cute” he says, stumbling over words, unable to speak properly and pinching both of YoonOh’s checks.

 

YoonOh laughs and places his hands over Doyoung’s, but he doesn’t move them away, instead keeping them against his warm skin.

 

“You’re hot” He says, voice an octave lower, looking at Doyoung from under his eyelashes, he does that a lot.

 

The world freezes for a moment, _what the fuck? Did the hottest human on earth just called him hot?_

 

Before Doyoung realizes, YoonOh is close, too close, but once their faces are only inches away and their breathes mix he stops, looking at Doyoung straight in the eyes, not really asking for permission but asking for Doyoung to be the one that makes the move instead. Doyoung stays still, gaze alternating between YoonOh’s dark eyes and oh-so-red lips, trying to tell his essence apart of alcohol and considering what he’s doing, and then he’s closing the gap between them and kissing YoonOh.

 

It was too predictable, being this drunk and so close to a hot guy that just called him hot too, it was obvious he would easily surrender, the time considering was probably just his unconscious dramatic pause not to look so easy.

 

Before he realizes YoonOh is on top of him, holding his upper body on his hands and pressing him against the expensive leather couch, Doyoung is pulling at his necktie to bring him closer and closer as if that was possible –they would have to melt into one for that to happen.

 

They kiss for a good amount of time, Doyoung doesn’t know how long, he’s too busy getting his tongue down YoonOh’s throat to care, but he can’t get enough of him. However, it’s not right, even so highly intoxicated he can tell that, so he pulls apart to say it out loud, but the sentence dies before it even starts, replaced by a strangled moan the moment YoonOh starts kissing and licking and _biting_ Doyoung’s neck, his hips pressing down against Doyoung’s, their crotches brushing together. He rubs against Doyoung a few more times, earning small desperate sound from the two of them, before stopping, hiding his face on his neck.

 

“Fuck, this is not right” he says, short of breath, and kisses Doyoung’s neck one more time.

 

Doyoung simply breathes heavily, his hands supported on the other’s back, his mind clouded with _YoonOh, YoonOh, YoonOh._

 

Their heavy breathes are the only thing resonating in the room, their bodies pressed together emanating heat, then YoonOh supports himself on his hands again, looking down at Doyoung.

 

“Sleep with me?” He says, with pliant eyes, when he sees the doubt in Doyoung’s eyes he kisses him once more and adds, “Just sleep, I promise.”

 

YoonOh lets him barrow some sweatpants and a shirt, they put Doyoung’s clothes on the washing machine so they’ll be clean and dry when morning hit, and then they lay down on YoonOh’s bed, it’s big enough for the two of them, but they still snuggle close, tangling their limbs and pressing delicate kissed over every expanse of skin they can until they fall asleep.

 

_He’s behind the dryer again, hiding in order to save his life, Taeil shakes his head at him so he won’t come out, but Doyoung can’t do this again, he can’t let his best friend die, he can’t._

_Doyoung jumps out of his hiding place, taking Taeyong’s hand in his to prevent him from hurting Taeil once again. The older turns his head at him, he looks more like a monster than the actual Taeyong, and he pushes Doyoung with his own back, but the later wraps an arms around his waist and they fall together to the floor._

_Somehow Taeyong manages to get on top of Doyoung, the knife rising over his head before it comes down with all the force he has, it goes right through Doyoung’s rib, and Taeyong twists his weapon to create even more pain, Doyoung screams, the pain is too intense and even when Taeyong has taken out the knife he can’t really move, so he can’t do anything against the following six, seven, eight attacks._

_When Taeyong thinks he’s finished he moves right back to Taeil, who is frozen on his place, and grabs him by the neck, Doyoung screams while witnessing how Taeyong stabs him all around the chest and stomach._

_“Why Doyoung? Why?” Taeil’s voice says, clear and steady._

_Why, why, why, why, why._

 

 

 

 

 

“Wake up! Doyoung wake up! It’s just a dream!” YoonOh is screaming, sitting on his hips, probably to prevent him from kicking him, Doyoung knows because Ten does that too.

 

Doyoung looks at him awed, eyes open wide and hands at his sides, half standing and half lying in bed, his breath is unsteady and tears are still rolling down his face. It’s hard to make YoonOh’s figure through the darkness of the room, but Doyoung can see him there on top of him, he’s breathing hard too, his hands still on Doyoung’s shoulders.

 

It takes a moment for Doyoung to realize why he’s in bed with YoonOh, but once he remembers his face goes absolutely red, he’s glad it’s dark so YoonOh can’t see it.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry YoonOh” Doyoung says, he wants to make something to comfort him, he looks thoroughly scandalized and horrified even in the dark, but without the alcohol in his system it’s hard for him to do anything that requires contact.

 

He places a hand over YoonOh’s own and pats it a few times, the taller gets off him then, and pushes him back down so they’re lying next to each other, YoonOh throws an arm around Doyoung and scoots close, they stay like that for a few minutes, just in silence.

 

“I’m really sorry” Doyoung says when he’s calmed down, “I totally forgot about my pills, but even if I take them this happens sometimes, I’m very embarrassed.”

 

“Don’t be” YoonOh reassures, kissing his temple tenderly. Doyoung wonder how he can be so brave without alcohol in his system, and guesses maybe he’s still a bit drunk “It’s alright, I understand, you don’t have to be.”

 

Needless to say, that is just the start, the start of _them_. No one knows, not even Ten –though Doyoung thinks he’s got his suspects, since he spends too much time with YoonOh–, but it’s okay because they know they aren’t even supposed to be wrapped into anything in the first place, they know, but their relationship not being ethical still doesn’t stop them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's me back at it again fam, just wanted to let y'all know that this will probably only have two or three more chapters and I kinda got excited so I might not actually wait a whole week to upload them... or maybe I will... depending on how life goes on y'know how it is ((Also sorry again because the trial is a MESS I suck at writing those kind of stuff so yeah have mercy))

Doyoung’s tests go well, if you could consider them that way.

 

They decide to test him during his sleep, most of the time he wakes up screaming Taeil’s name, but during his first exam he wakes up screaming ‘ _no Taeyong, don’t’_ and pulling at the cables around his head, it takes four nurses to stop him.

 

During his second test he fights to wake up, in the end, the therapist shakes him awake.

 

“You were taking too long, I got worry” The old man says, writing things into his notebook and frowning deeply.

 

The third exam is simply Doyoung’s every day, he dreams of not being able to save Taeil, wakes up screaming for his friend, and goes straight into a panic attack. It’s alright, he guesses, it’s never good, but he’s kind of used.

 

“The date for the session is coming up” YoonOh says into his hair, they’re lying in Doyoung’s bed since Ten is out for the weekend, snuggling together under blankets even if it’s barely midday.

 

“I know” Doyoung says against YoonOh’s neck, caressing the sensitive skin with his lips, he doesn’t want to talk about it, not when they’re like this. YoonOh kisses the top of his head and he sighs, “I just hope we can put him in jail already.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the next trial session the judge has a folder with the results of Doyoung’s tests –he hasn’t seem them, and wasn’t allowed to– and the therapist’s declaration is that Doyoung in fact suffers of everything he said he suffers, he wasn’t lying. Of fucking course he wasn’t.

 

“Is there anything else you want to add, Dr. Park?” The judge asks, eying Doyoung before putting the folder down and directing her entire attention to the therapist.

 

“There were things he would say into his sleep” The therapist adds, looking straight at the judge, “more often than not unintelligent things, but he’d repeat the name Taeil again and again, he’d ask a Taeyong to stop, to not do it, besides that there’s not much, as I said, mainly screams.”

 

As soon as the name of Taeyong was mentioned, the room exploded in whispers, so the judge hits her hammer a few times and tells everybody to calm down so the session can continue.

 

“Thank you very much for your testimony, Dr. Park” The judge says, looking at Taeyong for half a second. “Is there anything you would like to say about this, Mr. Lee?” the judge asks once everybody has calmed down.

 

“Your honor, we can’t let a judgment flow by the simple course of something as ambiguous as an scorpion’s dreams” Taeyong’s lawyer says, from where Doyoung’s sitting he can see how tense Taeyong is, his jaw clenched hard enough to break his teeth.

 

“If you allow me to say, your honor” YoonOh interrupts, “Dreams are created by the subconscious, they are uncontrollable for anyone scorpion or not, and this statement simply seems as discrimination towards my client.”

 

“Objection!” The small man screams.

 

“Denied” The judge answers right away, her voice stern.

 

“Your honor, we can’t trust this man” Taeyong’s lawyer says, “He’s nothing but a-”

 

“A what?” YoonOh snaps, he looks absolutely murderous and Doyoung’s heart jumps at the sight of YoonOh defending him on a personal level more than simply for the court.

 

“Order!” The judge half-screams, probably sick of their childish fight.

 

“I beg you and the people in the jury to think about what kind of monstrosity my client must have seen that even now, six months later, it’s still hunting him down on his dreams” YoonOh says, _always go for apathy_ he’d tell Doyoung often, _if you make them soft in the heart then you win._ Doyoung bites back a smile, YoonOh really is the best.

 

“Though it constitutes a big part of the case now, sadly we can’t use that against Mr. Lee” The judge says, “Not to put him behind bars, at least, we need solid evidence for that.”

 

Taeyong’s lawyer has the biggest shit eating grin in the world and Doyoung feels like throwing up, why did she asked for those tests then?

 

“It does, however, to relate him entirely to the case” She says, “Mr. Lee affirms he never left the house, but Mr. Kim obviously saw something tremendously frightening, and though I know we’re holding to ambiguous things right now, this whole case seems to be held by ambiguous situations, so this will continue to be closely investigated, until it’s solved none of the parties can get out of town, you’ll be found guilty and be send directly to prison if you do. Next session will be set for three months from today to give the police time enough to properly go deeper into the details of the investigation, until then I revoke the session.”

 

For the first time since this nightmare started it finally seems like there’s a light approaching at the end of the tunnel, Doyoung can’t be happier, he won’t ever be able to live peacefully if he lets Taeyong get away with this.

 

To celebrate that the case is actually moving in a good direction they buy alcohol again, and go to YoonOh’s apartment again, and get incredibly drunk again, because of course, that’s how grownups have fun.

 

They end up making out, of course they do, they always do even when they’re not drunk, and then a thing leads to another, and they end up in the bedroom. But it’s alright, it’s not the first time it happens, and it’ll certainly won’t be the last.

 

In the morning Doyoung wakes up to an empty bed, cold too. He puts on some clothes he takes from YoonOh’s closet and goes out to find his – _uh, friend? Boyfriend? Person?_

Doyoung finds him in the terrace, leaning against the rail and looking absolutely hot like always, Doyoung hugs him from behind, placing his chin against his back.

 

“You woke up” YoonOh says, and turns around to kiss him, “You slept well?” he asks, caressing Doyoung’s hair.

 

Doyoung simply smiles and nods, pecking his lips once more, and enjoying completely his first morning without a panic attack in months, the fact that Taeyong is finally on the focus for what he did granting his mind some peace and yielding a full night of sleep.

 

They make breakfast and eat together, even if it’s too late for breakfast, and then fall back in bed, ready to laze around for the rest of the day.

 

The speed in their relationship scares Doyoung a bit, there has been just a few months and Doyoung already feels dependent on YoonOh, feels like he needs to have him around, and feels extremely disappointed when they can’t be together even for a few hours a day.

 

“I caught you” Ten says, looking at Doyoung with a wicked smile over his mug of coffee, “You and the lawyer” he moves his eyebrows suggestively.

 

Doyoung blushes, but he doesn’t deny it, he knows there’s no use to, Ten knows him too well, almost as well as Taeil did, and even if Doyoung fights back and goes _no Ten we’re nothing_ he knows Ten won’t buy it. That, and he just ended up pouting at his phone after a conversation with YoonOh where the other told him they couldn’t see each other, why would he pout if not because they’re into something, anyway.

 

“I know we shouldn’t and it’s not ethical” Doyoung says, staring at the table.

 

“To the hell with ethics, Doyoung, you like him, he likes you, it’s alright” Ten shrugs, “He’s kinda hot too, and you’ve suffered too much, so just relax and enjoy” Doyoung buries his face in his hands just so he doesn’t have to look at Ten’s wiggling eyebrows, a stark contrast with the softens in his voice.

 

It’s funny because even if Doyoung knows and insists in how wrong it is for them to be into something, he doesn’t make any attempt to cut the relationship, if anything, he’s helping it to bloom. During the next weeks he and YoonOh go on dates, hold hands, and do everything people in a relationship would do but with no need for labels, Doyoung is dying for labels, he wants to call YoonOh his boyfriend, but he doesn’t want to scare him away, in the end is always YoonOh who brings up the subjects that matter, so at the end of the month while they’re lying in YoonOh’s bed cuddling, he pulls a bit back and looks at Doyoung in the eyes for a second too long.

 

“What are we?” He says then, his head just slightly rose from Doyoung’s chest, and the elder’s heart expands on his chest at the loving look on YoonOh’s eyes.

 

“Do you want to be my boyfriend? Like officially I mean, not like we were before, I- I mean- I-” Doyoung blurts out, unable to stop himself.

 

YoonOh laughs, hugging Doyoung tighter and hiding his face on his neck, placing multiple kisses there before answering.

 

“I thought you’d never ask.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What?? dumbwoojae with an early chapter??? bet y'all didn't see that coming hehe (or maybe you did idk)  
> I was WAY TOO EXCITED for this chapter and I just couldn't wait a week omg I was desperate, so here it is, here's when shit starts to go down, enjoy and please don't kill me maybe ??? 
> 
> ((also if you see any mistake here don't doubt in pointing it out i barely edited this at all so klsskf sorry))

The case with Taeyong isn’t going all that well after all, no matter how much the police keeps searching, everything is too vague and can’t really be count as evidence. Taeil’s body is yet to be found too, and it stresses Doyoung to just think about it, to the point where his nightmares turn into insomnia.

 

One night, a little more than a week after he and YoonOh start going by the label of “boyfriends”, Doyoung as usual can’t sleep, and he finds himself craving for convenience store food. It’s three in the morning and he’s really doubting on standing from bed, but in the end he decides that fuck it, it’s not like he was asleep a second ago, and maybe a full stomach will help him sleep, so he changes to actual clothes instead of pajamas and heads to the nearest 24 hours convenience store.

 

The place is empty and cold, walls entirely white and the person behind the counter probably about to pass out. To be honest, he knows he’s taking way more food than he could eat on his own, but why not indulge himself into little pleasures like convenience store food when his life is so shitty, he might as well take as many little pleasures as he can then.

 

He texts YoonOh to see if he’s awake when he’s picking ice cream, adding an ‘ _if you are then go to sleep, workcoholic freak!’_ torn between wanting him to rest and wanting to listen to his voice.

 

Doyoung quickly pays –at least given the late (or early) hour, he doesn’t have to wait in line– and heads back through the dark streets to Ten’s apartment; his phone vibrates in his pocket when he has almost reached the apartment complex, and he’s about to pull it out and tell YoonOh to go to sleep when he sees a shadow standing next to the door, he can’t see clearly because of the darkness and the distance but it still makes him uneasy –it could be some psycho and Doyoung doesn’t really want to suffer the same fate as Taeil did–  so he hides on a corner and pulls his phone out to see that, in fact, it is YoonOh calling.

 

“Please don’t hang up” He quickly says before pulling his phone back in his pocket and walking towards the door.

 

Even if he doesn’t want Taeil’s story to repeat on him, the universe has other plans, because it turns out to be Taeyong leaning against the wall and looking around, his eyes go wide and evil as soon as he spots Doyoung walking towards him.

 

“Oh, hello Doyoung” He says, and a shiver runs down Doyoung’s spine because, of course, he and Taeyong never really got along _that_ well, but he had never spoken to Doyoung in such a mean, psychotic tone, “What are you doing out so late?”

 

“If something happens to me everybody will know it was you” Doyoung replies, as quick as he can, unable to look at Taeyong in the eyes and looking at the floor instead.

 

“Of fucking course” Taeyong says, and gives a step forwards, he gives another when Doyoung gives one back so they’re centimeters away, “You think I don’t fucking know?”

 

“What do you want Taeyong?” Doyoung says, his voice already trembling and he most likely than not will start crying in the following 2 minutes.

 

“We’re too deep into shit to turn back now, aren’t we?” Taeyong replies, his voice still like a maniac’s and a sound of horror escapes Doyoung when he caresses his face, “You had to go and say what I did, such a good boy, blowing the whistle on me.”

 

“Don’t touch me” Doyoung whispers-shouts, pushing Taeyong’s hand away from his face aggressively.

 

Taeyong laughs and grabs Doyoung by the neck, just hard enough that he can still breathe though the pressure makes it difficult.

 

“I’m gonna touch you as much as I want” He says then, pushing Doyoung’s body close to his own, standing on his toes so he’s able to lick at Doyoung’s cheek while the later lets out a sob.

 

It shouldn’t be like this, Doyoung is taller, he should be able to easily push Taeyong away and get the hell out of there, but Taeyong is stronger than he looks like and he pushes Doyoung against the nearest wall almost effortlessly, still pressing their bodies together, their crotches brushing, and it’s so absolutely disgusting and frightening Doyoung is counting on a miracle not to throw up over Taeyong.

 

“You know my actual objective was you?” Taeyong asks, small smirk on his face as he analyzes Doyoung up close, roaming his free hand around his body and squishing his ass, “I wanted to fuck you so bad the first time we met, I didn’t even lay eyes on Taeil until you stood next to him on that club with shitty lights, you looked so pretty, I wanted to break you” Taeyong says, removing his hand off Doyoung’s neck so he can kiss and lick it as he pleases while the taller only sobs.

 

“Taeyong let me go, please let me go” Doyoung begs, trying to push him away, the pressure over his neck coming back this time stronger than before.

 

“But oh then, our sweet Taeilie wanted to play with me” Taeyong keeps speaking, like Doyoung hasn’t said a thing, “I thought it’d be fun, having him and then you, it was so easy to fool you two, naïve babies”

 

The hand in Doyoung’s neck moves to his jaw and pulls it so Doyoung is looking down, Taeyong tries to kiss him then, but Doyoung squeals and pulls back, hitting his head against the wall and whining in pain, Taeyong laughs again.

 

“But you’re so stubborn, such a loyal friend, never got any of my hints” Taeyong continuous, hand gripping back to Doyoung’s neck while the other holds him by the waist, “Maybe if you had let me fuck you, things would be different.”

 

Doyoung fights, tries to move away and pushes Taeyong as much as he can, though it isn’t much, he feels drained from anything but terror.

 

“Stay away from me, don’t fucking touch me” Doyoung whines, “You’re disgusting, I would never do such a thing.”

 

“And that’s what got Taeil killed” Taeyong says, like he’s talking about the weather, and Doyoung freezes in his place, “Surprised?” Taeyong chuckles, “My initial plan was to fuck around with the two of you and get away, I wasn’t particularly craving to kill you two. Well, not Taeil at least.”

 

Doyoung can only look into Taeyong’s eyes, dark, big, the implications of what he said hanging there between them, _it’s not the first time he does it,_ he must be the devil himself, Doyoung can’t find another explanation for someone being as cruel and heartless as Taeyong is, being able to commit such an awful crime without leaving any hints pointing his way.

 

“But you, Doyoung” He says, squishing Doyoung’s cheeks together with one hand and pulling his head down to look at his eyes without standing on his toes, “I wanted to _wreck_ you _, destroy_ you. Because you were so fucking pulled together, and so, _so_ pretty. And also, an easy target… I mean, after what Taeil told me about you” He smirks at Doyoung’s gasp, “Poor Doyoungie, you’ve been through so much, but it doesn’t kill your light right? Even now I’m still into you”

 

“Taeyong listen let me go” Doyoung says with difficulty, trying to push him away once again, fearing for his life, “Ten will notice I’m gone, he’ll call the police.”

 

“Ah, but you wouldn’t give me what I wanted” Taeyong answers, still ignoring everything Doyoung says that implies him getting away, “and I got so tired of waiting, I got bored of Taeil and his romantic, vanilla shit too, so I went that night, offered some kinky sex, and of course he didn’t say no, but it was just a strategy to get rid of him” He explains, his voice is so cold it burns, and he’s staring right at Doyoung’s eyes while the later cries, merciless, “I was going to fuck you then, and get rid of you too right after.”

 

Doyoung half screams, but Taeyong’s hand is quick to cover his mouth, gesturing with a finger for him to keep it shut.

 

“What else could I have done, Doyoung?” Taeyong sighs heavily like he’s talking about work or some other stuff instead of raping and killing, “you wouldn’t open your legs for me, and I’m not a patient person, but I wasn’t counting on you not being in your room, where were you, Doyoung? Where were you hiding?”

 

When Taeyong removes his hand from his mouth to give him a chance to answer, Doyoung contemplates screaming, but he’s afraid Taeyong will do something to him if he does, he stares at Taeyong blankly instead until the older furrows his eyebrows in displeasure and punches him in the stomach with so much strength air escapes his lungs and he half bends to the front.

 

“I asked you a question, Doyoungie” Taeyong says, his voice way stronger and pissed than it was a second ago.

 

“Behind the dryer, I was behind the dryer” Doyoung answers quickly, looking at the floor, “I was hiding behind the dryer” he repeats, gasping to catch his breath.

 

“I knew you were hiding there somewhere” Taeyong says, his eyes never leaving Doyoung even a second, “I just couldn’t find you, oh how I wish I had, so you probably would be accompanying Taeil right now.”

 

Doyoung holds his breath, it’s such a strong statement, not like Taeyong hasn’t said it various times before, but this time sinks further into Doyoung –probably at the mention of Taeil–, he starts shaking and sweating cold, is Taeyong going to kill him _now_?

 

“But behind the dryer, Doyoungie, such a small space” Taeyong clicks his tongue with a wicked smile, “didn’t know you were that flexible.”

 

Taeyong starts mouthing at his neck again, licking his way down until he reaches the point where Doyoung’s neck meets the shoulder and bites hard in the juncture, probably making sure to leave a mark and Doyoung cries hard.

 

“Listen Doyoung you’re getting me into a lot of trouble” Taeyong says, licking blood off his lips, “Back off a little, would you?” He adds, and starts to let go of Doyoung slowly.

 

He separates their bodies inch by inch, and smiles to himself, pleased that Doyoung isn’t screaming nor running, it must feel to him like he’s the boss.

 

“Be a good boy, Doyoung” He says one last time before he turns on his heels and walks away.

 

Doyoung falls sitting on the floor as soon as Taeyong turns the corner and cries loudly, hiding his face in his knees before remembering that he told YoonOh not to hang up. He grabs his phone out of his pocket and finds that YoonOh, in fact, hasn’t hung up, the screen tells him the whole incident lasted 22 minutes, even if to Doyoung felt like ages.

 

“Hello?” He sobs into the line, even before pulling the phone close to his ear he could hear YoonOh screaming his name.

 

“Doyoung are you okay?” He sound like he was the one that had just been all but sexually assaulted, absolutely hysteric, “I’m on my way okay, I’m a few streets away from your apartment, where are you? Don’t move, I’m coming for you”

 

“I’m in the building’s entrance” Doyoung sobs, covering his mouth to muffle his desperate cries.

 

“It’s okay Doyoung, I’ll be there in a minute love” YoonOh says, he sounds so afraid.

 

“He touched me, YoonOh” Doyoung sobs harder, “marked me too.”

 

There’s an horrified sound at the other side of the line followed closely by a strong growl, and then the line is dead silent, but Doyoung doesn’t hang up, he needs YoonOh with him in every form he can have him. Not even 5 minutes later a car pulls in the street right in front of where Doyoung is and YoonOh runs out of it, immediately wrapping Doyoung into his arms.

 

“Oh my god, Doyoung” He says, holding him close while Doyoung wraps his arms around him and cries into his neck, “I’m so sorry this happened Doyoung, I wish I could’ve protected you.”

 

Doyoung shakes his head, trying to tell YoonOh that it’s okay even if it’s not, and simply keeps crying.

 

“What is this?” Before Doyoung can stop him, YoonOh is pulling the collar of his shirt down to reveal the mark Taeyong had made less than 10 minutes ago, it hurt like hell, and Doyoung’s shirt most likely has dots of blood over where it is, “I’m gonna fucking kill him” YoonOh says then, voice absolutely threatening, making chills run down Doyoung’s back, he shakes his head again and clings to him even more.

 

He’s sick of it, all the crying, all the pain, sick of his life turning from regular to super shitty in such a fast time _again_ , it seems like someone turned a switch for it to happen. Doyoung wants his normal, absolutely bored life once again, and he holds YoonOh harder because at least he can count on him, a blessing in the midst of chaos.

 

“Come on, I’ll take you to your apartment” YoonOh says, pulling Doyoung up.

 

“No, please, don’t leave” Doyoung begs, the last thing he wants is to be alone right now.

 

“Of course I won’t, Doyoung, no” he says, voice half determination half indignation, “I’ll stay with you, but we can’t stay in the street okay? It’s cold, you’ll get sick”

 

“You’re wearing pajamas” Doyoung notices, pulling at YoonOh’s shirt already wet with tears.

 

“I ran the hell out of my house as soon as I heard the name Taeyong” he explains, this time carrying Doyoung bride style and stealing his keys from his hoodie’s pocket, making sure to grab the bags of food Doyoung had dropped to the floor long ago before walking them into the apartment complex.

 

By the time they reach the elevator Doyoung is already able to stand on wobbly legs while supporting himself on YoonOh, who keeps a strong grip on his waist to help him standing and holds the grocery bags in the other. Doyoung tries hard, but he can’t stop crying, hiding his face in YoonOh’s shoulder, the later limits himself to wipe his tears with his thumb and kiss his forehead in a reassuring gesture right before the elevator door opens.

 

They make sure to be as quiet as someone can be, leaving the bags by the entrance without giving a damn about the –already melted– ice cream or the hot sodas, and head directly to Doyoung’s room, curling together in bed while the older cries his heart out. YoonOh says he’s sorry again and again like any of this is his fault, like Taeyong being a psycho is his fault.

 

“Don’t be” Doyoung says in response to the millionth time YoonOh says he’s sorry, “I’m thankful you’re here with me, I don’t want to be alone.”

 

“I wish I could’ve protected you Doyoung” He says, his arms tightening around Doyoung even more, “I think about everything you said he did, about everything I heard, and I get so furious, I wish I could’ve done anything.”

 

“You’re here with me, you’re doing a lot by that, I swear” Doyoung reassures him, placing multiple kisses in his clavicle.

 

YoonOh sighs heavily and kisses Doyoung’s hair, allowing the older to cry some more.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY THIS TOOK ME SO LONG I've been kinda busy and I just couldn't find the time to edit this, I know at the start I assured you I wouldn't take long with updates so I'm a little embarrassed, I'm really so sorry. Also this is a bit too short ao3 user dumbwoojae does many things wrong kids, but anyway, the end is quickly approaching, watch out

It was a rough night, and both of them barely got any sleep, nervousness and anxiousness caused due the recent events striking so bad it was hard to even close an eye.

 

(When Ten sees YoonOh in the morning he doesn’t say anything. The wiggling of his eyebrows when YoonOh is not looking is enough of a comment though, but Doyoung doesn’t feel like explaining at the moment, and he guesses Ten can wait a bit more before knowing the truth –spoiler, Ten screams and panics, and babies Doyoung for a whole day trying to make him feel better, he also makes Doyoung promise he won’t go out alone, especially not at nights, even if it’s unlikely for the accident to repeat.)

 

But as days go by, it’s only harder to pretend it didn’t happen, there’s a tense air between them, YoonOh wantonly blames himself for not being able to protect Doyoung, and Doyoung is simply too disturbed for the previous encounter. It is hard to them, but it’d be hard to anyone.

 

“I don’t want to denounce it” Doyoung says, it’s about four days after the incident and also the first time any of the two make a reference to it, Doyoung knows, he’s more than sure, that YoonOh does it for his mental balance, although he also knows he’s been dying to say something.

 

“I don’t think you should either” YoonOh says, suddenly his knuckles turn white, he’s holding the book he’d be reading before going to sleep so hard Doyoung thinks he might accidentally rip off the pages.

 

“It wouldn’t be a smart move, they’ll think it’s a strategy, they’ll think I plotted it” Doyoung explains, his voice shaking.

 

“I know” YoonOh sighs, but he’s still looking at his book, even if he isn’t really reading anything anymore, “They already got a bad perspective on you, they might not have the best in Taeyong but you they’ve got their preference.”

 

“And you can’t testify against him.”

 

“Right, cause I’m _your_ lawyer, plus that could expose our relationship too and I don’t think the court will think better of you if they find out you’ve been sleeping with your lawyer.”

 

Silence.

 

It’s all about silence. It has been all about small talks and silence ever since it happened, and Doyoung is getting sick of it, because YoonOh is his anchor, this kind of situation with him is driving him mad.

 

“Are we gonna talk about the elephant in the room?” Doyoung finally says, leaving his own book aside before watching YoonOh sigh and place his on the night table, “I know you’re wondering” he whispers, “what Taeyong told Taeil about me.”

 

“We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to Doyoung” YoonOh hurries to say, and moves closer so he can place one of his arms over Doyoung’s shoulders. Doyoung automatically scurries closer, seeking for the safeness only YoonOh’s arms around him can make him feel.

 

“You really don’t want to know?” He whispers, looking at YoonOh straight in the eyes.

 

Despite shaking his head, Doyoung can tell he does want to know, he deserves to, so Doyoung decides that yes, he trusts YoonOh enough to give the jump he needs to.

 

“I want to tell you” he says finally, “I want you to know.”

 

“Don’t feel forced to do it.”

 

“I don’t” he assures, placing his hand on YoonOh’s heart, feeling its beat, “I want you to know” He repeats.

 

YoonOh’s eyes go all _soft_ , looking at Doyoung with so much affection the older feels like his heart could explode, and the he says, “Tell me, then” before planting a single kiss to Doyoung’s forehead.

 

Doyoung takes a few minutes to gather his thoughts, it’s not the first time he ever tells anyone, but that doesn’t make it any easier, the memories are powerful and can awake a certain part of him that’s way too sensitive, and it sure has been a long time since he allowed himself to even think about it –Last time was in college, Ten being his listener back in that moment.

 

“I… never met my dad” Doyoung starts, YoonOh’s hand tightens over his thigh encouragingly when he takes a little too long to continue, so he continuous, “He left before I was born, so it was always my mom, my brother, and I”

 

“I didn’t know you have a brother” YoonOh comments, and Doyoung sinks further into his embrace before continuing.

 

“When I was 9, my mother died, she was terribly sick and despite all the treatments the doctors sent her, she passed away. My brother DongHyun promised he’d take care of me, but we were both children, and we didn’t really have any more family, so Taeil’s parents took care of us” Doyoung stops, breathing deeply, trying to swallow the knot that formed in his throat, “He was like my second brother.”

 

YoonOh holds him tighter, but doesn’t say anything, acknowledging that nothing he says will ever be able to make Doyoung feel better about the fact that he lost Taeil forever.

 

“As soon as my brother was old enough to take my custody he did and we moved away” Doyoung says after he’s gathered the strength, “Those were hard times, but it was alright because at least I had DongHyun to be my support, and he had me too, and Taeil’s parents would always be offering help, they loved us like their own kids.”

 

“They sound like lovely people” YoonOh adds when Doyoung takes too long to keep talking.

 

Memories are swallowing whole, it’s hard to think about how hard it used to be and how much harder it got, he doesn’t want to cry, but he can’t stop his eyes from filling with unshed tears.

  ****

“they were, we loved them a lot too” Doyoung answers, remembering how his brother would always label them as their guardian angels, he wasn’t wrong. “When the time for me to enter college came things had been going steady for a while, we had our own place and I got a scholarship in Piongchan University. DongHyun worked in Jeonju, and so that we could see each other more often, we’d take turns traveling to visit each other every two weeks or so. And then he died too.”

 

“Oh my God Doyoung” YoonOh says, his voice pained like he’s suffering from hearing Doyoung’s story.

 

“He was coming to visit me, it was like every other weekend, but he had a car accident” Doyoung tells, it’s like he’s in autopilot now, tears rolling down his face steadily and voice slightly trembling, “I didn’t even call him that day, because I supposed I’d just talk to him when he arrived. But he never did YoonOh, I waited for _hours_.”

 

“I’m so sorry” He says, squishing Doyoung in his arms until it’s hard for him to breathe, “You don’t deserve this, Doyoung, I’m sorry.”

 

“That’s why Taeyong thought I’d be an easy target” Doyoung explains, “I have no one left. I never had a dad, my mother and my brother died, Taeil died… Now I only have Ten” the silence in the room is not like the usual silence that settles around them, it’s heavy and uncomfortable, suffocating even, “Ten and you.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took too long and I'm honestly embarrassed, but here it is... I'm sorry, please don't hate me

Things had been packed lately, and even if Doyoung’s confession had made the air lighter between them they just didn’t have time to meet up anymore, YoonOh’s cases had been swallowing him whole and even if they hadn’t, Doyoung’s work has been particularly busy too, and as if the stress of the soon-to-come trial wasn’t enough he’s had to stay awake full nights just to finish all the messy projects his boss was demanding him to complete.

 

“I’m about to take a shower” YoonOh says in the middle of their usual 8:35 PM talk (since they’ve both been so busy and don’t really have time for anything, they agreed that it’d be a good idea to create a schedule to both rest and communicate), Doyoung can hear the pacing and the rustle of clothes, most likely YoonOh picking his pajama, he smiles.

 

“I took the longest shower around an hour ago” He sighs, running his hand through the now barely wet strands of his hair, “I’m finally done with all of the shit I needed to do and I’m ready to sleep for about 12 hours to be honest.”

 

“Oh you’re done?” YoonOh says, sounding quite pleased, “Well that’s sad, now I don’t have anyone to call at 2 am.”

 

“And you better don’t, I’ll seriously beat your ass” He threatens, only half heartily. YoonOh laughs.

 

“I think I might be done with most of the stuff I’ve got left today, do you want to take dinner together tomorrow?” YoonOh asks, voice feather light and coaxing, a wick of hope lighting in Doyoung’s chest.

 

“What about the day after? You need to sleep too” Doyoung argues despite all he wants to do is run to YoonOh as soon as possible.

 

“Okay” YoonOh sighs, so used to lose against Doyoung in every argument he doesn’t even try anymore, “It gives time to make reservations for a restaurant, anyway.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It comes in a blink –thanks to whatever God’s above– and Doyoung rushes with work, excited about spending time with YoonOh after all the abstinence.

 

His rush turns out to be useful, at least, because he finishes everything early enough that he’s able to arrive with spare time –that’ll hopefully be used to cuddle– at YoonOh’s apartment. He uses the spare key YoonOh gave him to get in instead of knocking at the door, the living room is empty so he heads towards the main room, excitement buzzing through his whole system, but the voices coming from the kitchen instruct him to walk that way instead, he’s ready to open the door when he hears an all too familiar voice.

 

“You’re walking in a dangerous zone, YoonOh, I’d recommend you to control yourself” Taeyong says, his voice it’s not very clear and Doyoung figures he’s talking on the phone, “big consequences can go out of this.”

 

Doyoung is infuriated right away, his hands turned into fists and shaking out of pure rage, how dare he menacing YoonOh? And what for? He’s about to enter the kitchen and tell Taeyong to kiss his ass but YoonOh’s voice stops him.

 

“I know what I’m doing, I don’t need you to tell me which move to make.”

 

“I’m just warning you” Taeyong answers immediately, voice stern, “Falling for him wasn’t part of the plan, you’re going to ruin everything.”

 

_The plan?_ There was a plan? Oh god. There was a plan. What kind of plan?

 

“Shut up Taeyong I know what I’m doing.” YoonOh sounds, all in all, pissed and stressed, it’s a state Doyoung has never seen him in expect for _that night_ , not even on the court.

 

“You just keep Doyoung distracted and happy, got me? Fuck him as much as you want, make him trust you, we need him to trust you” he says, the quiet tone of his voice makes a shiver run down Doyoung’s spine.

 

“Taeyong I’m not very sure this is gonna work” YoonOh says, sighing tiredly, and Doyoung can almost picture him leaning on the counter, massaging the bridge of his nose.

 

“shut the fuck up, don’t you dare turning back now” Taeyong snaps, his voice suddenly twice as hard, “You go to the court and say he confessed to you he was the one that killed Taeil, whatever excuse you use as your stupid inexistent conscience or whatever I don’t care, but I gave you a small fortune for that, so you better fucking do it, or else I’m bringing you down with me” he says and Doyoung can hear the _beep, beep, beep_ following right after _._

 

Doyoung is horrified, heartbroken, destroyed; he can’t believe YoonOh did this to him. He can’t believe he fell so easily into the trap, Taeyong must be fucking delighting himself on the idea of Doyoung’s reaction when he finds out. Tears are threatening to fall from his eyes, and he now shivers for a different reason; he can’t believe it, all this time he thought YoonOh was his main support when, in reality, he was only getting ready to stab Doyoung in the back.

 

He stays still for a few minutes before realizing that it’s the worst to do, acting normal would be the best, acting like he doesn’t know.

 

_if YoonOh knows that I know, would he tell Taeyong? And would Taeyong kill me?_

Pretending that everything is alright isn’t going to be easy, but Doyoung needs to try, so he cleans his tears and takes several deep breaths before walking quickly to the door and stand there, placing the most genuine smile he can muster on his face and willing the pain into his chest away, his mind is dull, the new information too much to digest, so it’s a lot easier than he expected.

 

“YoonOh?” He calls, like he had just arrived, trying his hardest to control his trembling voice, “YoonOh where are you?”

 

“I’m in the kitchen” comes YoonOh’s voice, totally even, not even a bit of something but pure casualness on it, and it scares Doyoung how much of a good actor he is.

 

As soon as Doyoung crosses the door he’s faced with YoonOh’s tremendous smile, dimples and all, and even though it would usually make him smile just as big right away, he has a really hard time holding his lips up right now.

 

“Hey you” he says, walking close.

 

YoonOh pulls him for a hug and kisses him hard, Doyoung allows him to.

 

“We’re gonna be late for the restaurant” The older says, and YoonOh just shrugs.

 

“What about takeout instead?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Needless to say, as soon as Doyoung arrives home the next day he cries his heart out, he spends the whole evening crying and doesn’t bother in answering YoonOh’s texts until later that night, with the poor excuse of a nap that seems to be good enough for his boyfriend.

 

His desire of revenge towards Taeyong grows even more, and he spends the whole night searching for a way to suppress his stupid scorpion nature to be able to just fucking put him in jail already, –He’s planning to call sick in work the next day, and he couldn’t give less of a fuck if they believe him or not– he also needs a new lawyer, but he doesn’t think anybody will answer if he calls at 2 am.

 

There are barely three weeks left for the next session and Doyoung needs to get this all done right there and then, he can’t pretend to be YoonOh’s boyfriend anymore, he can’t pretend he doesn’t know much longer, he isn’t that strong, and he needs all of the drama on his life to stop, it’s overwhelmingly stressing and his head feels like it’s going to explode.

 

Two nights later he and YoonOh meet up in the taller’s apartment and Doyoung cooks for him, he keeps his boyfriend in love façade and allows YoonOh to do whatever he wants. Later on while they’re lying in bed, barely catching their breaths after sex, YoonOh leans close and kisses Doyoung hard enough to bruise, he preps small kisses all over his face and then he stops, looking at Doyoung deep in the eyes.

 

“I think I love you” He says, and all of the air is punched out of Doyoung’s lungs, he’s frozen on his place, unable to do anything.

 

_What to do, what to do, what to do._

 

“I think I love you too” He says when YoonOh looks like he’s about to have a panic attack, immediately feeling his stomach contract so bad he wants to puke, the younger doesn’t notice, smiling as bright as the sun and kissing Doyoung until he needs to catch his breath again.

 

He knows it’s all for the show, knows YoonOh probably doesn’t mean it, but the thing is, _the thing is,_ even if he’s a liar, even if he’s allied with Taeyong, even if he’s probably trying to cover Taeil’s death as well, Doyoung can’t stop his stupid, stupid heart from beating ten times faster whenever YoonOh is around. It hurts, but he feels it despite all, and he hates himself for it.

 

It makes him want to jump out of the window, the awful combination of feelings, in some moments he feels in a cloud, but in some moments he feels a burning hate that is not just directed to Taeyong but to YoonOh too, it’s exhausting to keep his masquerade of a love bird when sometimes while him and YoonOh met up those feelings of hate appeared out of nowhere making him want to choke the other till death, but he has to control himself.

 

Apparently, though, he’s not doing a good enough job, because YoonOh notices.

 

“Did I do something wrong?” He asks out of the blue one night while they’re taking dinner on his apartment, looking at Doyoung from across the table, biting the inside of his right cheek making a deep dimple appear on the other.

 

“Uh, what?” Doyoung asks, totally caught out of guard.

 

“You’ve been acting weird lately, kind of cold sometimes, did I do something that could bother you? Maybe, did I say something bad?” The fact that he refuses to look at any other place but Doyoung’s eyes is making the later uneasy.

 

“Uh, I’m sorry YoonOh, I-” But he doesn’t know what to say, he doesn’t know what excuse to create, he trusted his acting skills just to find out they are inexistent, now he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place.

 

“Is it about him?” YoonOh asks suddenly, finally looking down, and when Doyoung makes a confused sound he adds, “Is it about the guy from the other night?”

 

Oh, Doyoung had almost forgotten that incident. He was talking about Yuta, who stole Doyoung’s phone while they were drinking together and whined about being cheated on with YoonOh while the later was on the line, may God bless Yuta and his playful drunk self that now probably saved Doyoung from something much worse than a jealousy attack –potential _death_.

 

“Of course not, don’t worry about him, I’m just stressed over the judgment” Doyoung brings his hand up the table to squish YoonOh’s forearm, but is surprised when the later pulls back.

 

“If you have or had something with him, Doyoung, please tell me right now.”

 

Maybe, Doyoung could tell YoonOh that Yuta is simply a friend, that he just likes to flirt with everyone, that he is already married, but it’s seems like the perfect chance to change the subject of his cold acting, and Doyoung figures maybe a little white lie will be better than the truth this time, doesn’t the end justifies the means anyway.

 

“He’s just a friend I hadn’t seen since college, we fell in bed a few times when we were younger, but that was a lot of time ago, I swear we have nothing.” Doyoung lies – _sleeping with Yuta, ew_ –, hoping to be convincing enough that YoonOh forgets about his hate indulged actions _._

 

“You _fell in bed?_ ” YoonOh says, sounding absolutely scandalized and abruptly looking up to see Doyoung like he had just slapped his face.

 

_Bingo._

 

“It was a long time ago” Doyoung complains, thinking about stuff that made him feel stressed so he could actually look stressed, “You’ve had your flings too.”

 

“He said you were _in love_ ” YoonOh hisses, choosing to ignore his argument and Doyoung has to bite back a smile at how cute he is when he’s jealous.

 

“Do you speak Japanese?” Doyoung asks, suddenly remembering that Yuta had been mixing Korean and Japanese all the while.

 

“Does that fucking matter?” YoonOh snaps, looking suddenly angry.

 

“Okay, calm down now” Doyoung says, gripping at YoonOh’s forearm and sighing heavily, he doesn’t have to fake his exhaustion, he truly feels it, “He was joking, YoonOh, we were drunk, whatever happened with him is on the past now.”

 

“Did you feel something when you saw him again?” YoonOh asks after a few beats, he looks at Doyoung’s hand in his arm and rests his own on top of it.

 

_I felt happy because last time I saw him was in Taeil’s –does that even count as a funeral? We didn’t even have a body to bury anyway._

 

“It was nice” Doyoung answers with the truth this time, frowning at the table because lying is so hard, he briefly wonders how YoonOh manages to make it look so natural, “It was our first time meeting in years and he still acted like when we were in college, it was like being 19 again.” Well that’s not a lie either, Yuta always acts like a teenager, but it’s good and refreshing and it always helps Doyoung feel less crushed by his responsibilities as an adult.

 

“Do you feel anything for him?” YoonOh abruptly blurts out, his hand tightening over Doyoung’s own.

 

Doyoung can’t avoid but laugh at how stupid it is the idea of him feeling anything for Yuta, but YoonOh thinks they had something, so he has to keep up with the act.

 

“No, of course not” Doyoung says, shaking his head, “I love you, not him, don’t worry about him” Doyoung says, and leans over to kiss YoonOh to punctuate his statement, his heart twitching at the three words he’d definitely prefer not to mention.

 

YoonOh seems to relax as he kisses him back, apparently buying his story, and Doyoung is more than thankful he could really fool him.

 

The worst part is, it should be hard to be with YoonOh, it should be hard to play the house with him, to stand next to each other on the bathroom while brushing their teeth, to cuddle and whisper sweet nothings into each other’s ear, to fall and fall deeper and deeper every minute, but it’s not, it’s pretty easy, easier than he could have ever imagined.

 

And it pisses him off.

 

He shouldn’t be so comfortable with someone who is on his best friend’s murderer’s side, he shouldn’t be so comfortable with someone who is fooling him to keep him _distracted and happy_ , ready to stab him on the back, but Doyoung’s stupid heart is helpless.

 

And every time YoonOh says ‘I love you’, god, his heart jumps out of his chest and to the moon even when he knows the taller is just faking it, he indulges him in everything he wants, living the dream before it’s over.

 

They keep working on what they’ll do on the next session, but it’s all white noise, Doyoung isn’t really paying attention when YoonOh explains to him all of the strategies or whatever, he doesn’t care, he knows it won’t be as helpful as YoonOh makes it look, because he’s on Taeyong’s side after all.

 

“If they didn’t find anything, don’t feel too bad” YoonOh says a day before the judgment, holding one of Doyoung’s hand across the table and squishing it in a gesture that’s supposed to be reassuring, his eyes are moving to somewhere across the room and he’s biting the corner of his lip, before, Doyoung would’ve thought he was nervous about the direction things could take, but he isn’t blind anymore, “it is a pretty complicated case after all.”

 

Doyoung simply places a small smile on his face and squishes YoonOh’s hand back.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... here it is.... *runs away* 
> 
>  
> 
> (I barely proof read this I haven't slept in days so y'all know what to do)

He shuffles nervously on his chair, adjusting his shirt and cleaning his palms on his pants every now and then, saying that he’s nervous would be an understatement, even Taeyong can sense it from across the room and he keeps on shooting him quick, evil smiles. Oh, if only he knew.

 

“It’s okay, Doyoung” YoonOh whispers in his direction, something that sounds suspiciously like guiltiness tinting his voice, “Everything’s gonna be fine.”

 

_Of course, of course it will be_ , Doyoung wants to say, _especially with your alliance with Taeyong, that guarantees shit going perfectly well._

 

The judge walks into the room and Doyoung holds his breathe, _is it really a good idea? Maybe it wasn’t after all._

 

No, this is not the moment to be doubting, he reassures himself, he has thought it all through, maybe a bit too much, he’s gonna do this.

 

“Since everyone is already in the room then we can begin with the session” The judge says, and Doyoung quickly stands.

 

“Excuse me, your honor, my lawyer is still outside” Doyoung says, his voice steadier than he was expecting it to be.

 

From his side, YoonOh is looking at him like he’s crazy, Taeyong has a similar face from across the room, the judge, though, remains expressionless except for the eyebrow she’s arching in Doyoung’s direction.

 

“Then tell them to come in, Mr. Kim” she says, looking at one of the many papers in front of her.

 

“Doyoung what the fuck?” YoonOh whispers, he still looks mainly confused but there’s pain in his eyes, clear like water.

 

Doyoung looks away, he’s so totally not gonna feel guilty for replacing someone who’s not going to help proving Taeyong killed Taeil, not even when they’re sleeping together.

 

He makes his way to the door and opens it a bit, making signals with his hand so the tall man in the hallway walks in his direction.

 

“What did they say?” Youngho whispers while he gets closer.

 

Doyoung shakes his head and grabs his wrist to direct them to his table, YoonOh is still sitting there, looking at them with wide hurt confused eyes like he wasn’t fucking planning to make this whole thing the longest he could and then tell everybody Doyoung’s a liar _and_ a murderer. Doyoung looks away and guides Youngho to sit between them.

 

The judge looks at their table, her eyes linger on YoonOh’s shocked expression before quickly scanning Youngho and finally landing on Doyoung.

 

“Well, are we ready now?” she asks and Doyoung nods, “okay then, let’s begin.”

 

While a police officer is in front of them, exposing that they in fact didn’t find any hint pointing that neither Doyoung or Taeyong are guilty, YoonOh tries to call for Doyoung’s attention with hand signals, but the older simply ignores him, fixing his eyes in the police officer exposing the way new tests were made and new hypothesis were taken on count.

 

“Your honor” Youngho starts as soon as the police officer exits the room, Doyoung takes a deep breath and tries to calm his trembling hands, “my client will take a DMS test.”

 

As soon as the words leave Youngho’s mouth the room explodes in whispers, everyone is looking at Doyoung and talking without the decency to cover their mouths with their hands so he wouldn’t know what they are saying, but it’s alright, he was expecting it. The judge hits her hammer to quiet them all before speaking.

 

“As you please, but remember that given the fact that your client is immune to the system’s specific analyzing, I hope you understand we can’t completely trust whatever we see” The judge explains, Doyoung’s heart beats twenty times faster as Youngho pulls his valise from the floor to place it on top of the table.

 

He gets a folder out of it and hands it to one of the guards, who hands it to the judged, and then he pulls a small container filled with purple liquid out and places it on the table.

 

“My client will take the serum” Youngho says, he looks nervous, but his voice is strong and clear despite he’s conscious he’s kind of supporting Doyoung through a suicide mission, the room has exploded into a furious fit of voices once again, even the judge herself looks scandalized at the mention of such a thing, and she looks between the serum and Doyoung several times.

 

_The serum_ has been an experiment for a while now, it supposed to suppress scorpion’s abilities, but it isn’t necessarily… well, safe. During tests, 4 of every 6 subjects _died_ , the rest of them were either psychologically or physically damaged –or both–, and it is suggested to ban the use of it until it’s completely finished and proved not to be a menace. However, it hasn’t been banned yet, so Doyoung is perfectly able to demand its use if he takes responsibility for whatever happens, which of course he does.

 

“Doyoung, what?” YoonOh says, looking at Doyoung with an expression that reflects pure horror, everybody in the room is looking at Doyoung the same way, even Taeyong, but probably for different reasons.

 

“Mr. Kim” the judge starts, her voice trembling a bit so she clears her throat and talks again, “Mr. Kim, are you aware of the consequences this can place you through?”

 

“In the folder I just handed to you is a letter written and signed by my client where he accepts every consequence and takes responsibility for it all, he acknowledges the… situations, this whole procedure can place him through, physical and psychological, and he accepts them all. ” Youngho clarifies, but the judge’s eyes are still fixed on Doyoung, who looks at her with an expression that reflects pure determination, he has always been stubborn, no one will make him change his mind at this point.

 

“Mr. Kim” She says again, “Are you aware of the consequences?”

 

“Yes” Doyoung answers, “I know that in the worst case it could kill me” Doyoung affirms, his hands turned into fists under the table, “I will die if that’s what it takes to make justice on my friend’s name.”

 

The room falls dead silent, all eyes shifting from Doyoung to Taeyong, and then the judge clears her throat and places Doyoung’s letter on the table.

 

“If that’s your last word then, as you wish.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The machine is ridiculous to look at, it looks mostly like a beauty parlor’s chair connected to a tv, but with a lot more cables in between that were supposed to be in Doyoung’s head, it is comfy, at least.

 

“Mr. Kim I know I won’t get you to change your mind, but could you think this through for a minute?” the judge says, she looks mainly worried about what could happen, but then, everybody kind of does too.

 

No matter how many times he’s asked, Doyoung is positive he won’t change his mind no matter what anybody tells him, he knows he’s being irrational, revenge driven actions that are absolutely and without a doubt going to end in disaster, but he’s had enough, he can’t continue with the whole situation, no more not being able to save Taeil nightmares, no more Taeyong walking freely on the streets like he hasn’t broken a single plate in his whole life, no more kissing YoonOh trying to forget who’s side he’s really on. He can’t. It’s too much, and he can’t.

 

“I already have” Doyoung says, there’s no way to make him go back now, he knows, and everybody knows, “I’m going to do this.”

 

A nurse approaches Doyoung, he’s got a needle with the serum and he kind of looks like he would rather not be doing this, but it’s not like he really has an option. Doyoung extents his right arm, the man cleans it, and then inserts the needle right in the vein.

 

The serum, while able to could kill a person, it’s supposed to make them feel like they’re floating on a cloud, pure happiness and peace, an alluring feeling before the abrupt convulsions, throwing up and heart attacks appear. It takes around a minute for Doyoung to start feeling dizzy, his head feels so light that it’s almost like it is floating, but his limbs feel heavy and he doesn’t think he’d be able to move even if he wanted to. He registers sounds, beeps and puffs, but he doesn’t know what they are, he can’t think of anything right now.

 

“Mr. Kim, Mr. Kim” Someone says from beside him, he can feel a hand on his right arm and it’s not until then that Doyoung notices he had his eyes closed, “Can you hear me, Mr. Kim?”

 

“Yes” Doyoung says, the response is automatic, and it feels like he wasn’t the one who said it.

 

“Mr. Kim can you do me a favor and imagine a cat?” The man says, Doyoung doesn’t know who he is but his voice is certainly nice, not nicer than YoonOh’s though, “A white cat with a one eye green and the other blue?”

 

“What a cute cat” Doyoung says slowly, laughing involuntarily.

 

Is this how it feels to be high? He doesn’t like it.

 

“Great, Mr. Kim” He says to Doyoung, and then in a voice that sound somehow far away he adds, “The screen shows nothing, it works, we can start.”

 

Doyoung gasps at the sensation of fingers pressing his neck, tries to open his eyes, but his eyelids are way too heavy for him to move them even a bit, a voice sounds near him, saying stuff, but Doyoung can’t understand, it feels like falling asleep.

 

Then someone slaps him on the face hard enough for his head to snap aside and his eyes to open.

 

“Mr. Kim” The man says, he’s so very close, but Doyoung can’t really detail him since he’s closing his eyes against his own will again, “Mr. Kim can you keep your eyes open?”

 

“No” Doyoung says, trying and failing to shake his head.

 

“Please relax but also try to stay awake” The man quickly says then, like fearing Doyoung will die before they can see into his mind, there are clicks in the background before he adds “we’ll go back to the night when Mr. Moon died.”

 

Doyoung whines, images of that night involuntarily coming back to him, it’s like living it all over again, the sticky sensation of cold coffee over his pants and the pleasant heat of the basement in the cold night, the horror, the screams, the tears, the permanent image of Taeyong’s pink hair stained by blood from the time he passed his hand through it after finishing stabbing Taeil, Doyoung is there again, hiding behind the dryer and crying nonstop. Taeyong’s voice like echo in his head, _oh how I wish I had, so you probably would be accompanying Taeil right now_.

 

At the distance, Doyoung can hear someone calling, it feels like ages have passed and he has been stuck on memories from the same night, playing on loop until he feels like he’s going to lose his mind –maybe he will. The voice becomes stronger and stronger, but all Doyoung can think about is in the disgusting sound of Taeil’s bones hitting against the stairs, and then, unceremoniously, Doyoung lifts the upper side of his body off the chair, pushes himself to a side and throws up purple liquid –he doesn’t know where the strength to stand up came from, but he’s certainly thankful since he could’ve choked on his own vomit.

 

Suddenly, all voices and sounds around him are too much, the lights are too much, the oxygen is too much, and Doyoung has to cover his ear and close his eyes tightly, giving steady breathes to calm himself down.

 

“Mr. Kim are you okay?” the man that had been talking to him says, his voice is filled with concern and somehow it makes Doyoung realize that he’s crying, hot tears rolling down his face.

 

However, he’s not well enough to talk, if he opens his mouth again he’s sure only more vomit will go out of it.

 

“Doyoung! Doyoung!” YoonOh is screaming, Doyoung wants to open his eyes and look at him, but instead he throws up again, this time over his own self, and passes out.

 

_“Doyoung you are so stupid” Taeil is saying, they are sitting under a three and the younger of them is crying, Taeil cleans his tears with one hand and places a band-aid on his knee with the other._

_“I only wanted to reach my comet, hyung.” Doyoung sobs, his knee and his elbow hurt, and his mom will most likely scold him too when he gets home._

_“You can’t do dangerous stuff like that, you dummy” Taeil scolds, and hugs Doyoung by the shoulders, “Now come, I’ll take you home, we can help my mom preparing snacks, okay?” he helps Doyoung standing up, and with an arm placed around his shoulders he guides him down the street, all the way to his house, where Taeil’s mother is waiting for them with homemade cookies and an atmosphere of love._


	9. Chapter 9

When Doyoung opens his eyes, the whiteness of the ceiling over his head is blinding so he closes them again for a few minutes, it takes a while for him to realize he’s in a hospital bed, there’s an intravenous in his left arm and pink flowers at his right, Youngho is also there, but he’s reading the news paper and hasn’t noticed the fact that Doyoung’s eyes are open.

 

“Fuck, we lost that game?” Doyoung says reading the title on the reverse of the paper with the softest voice he’s ever used, feeling more than exhausted, and catching Youngho’s attention while he’s on it.

 

“You’re awake” Youngho says, smiling contently, almost relieved, “Yeah, our team fucking sucks” he adds then.

 

“What happened?” Doyoung asks, looking at Youngho in the eyes just long enough and then looking at the floor.

 

“We all saw what you saw” Youngho says, his voice sounds hard and scandalized, “It was… awful, Doyoung, people in the jury had to get out of the room, you where crying and wailing out of yourself, then when the whole thing ended, but it was only replaced by memories of the night Taeyong showed up in your house, it was absolutely awful.”

 

Silence settles between them, Youngho probably trying to rebuild himself from the memories.

 

“And then?” Doyoung urges him, desperate to hear the three words he’s wanted to hear since the day Taeil died.

 

“Then you woke up and painted the whole place purple with vomit, your ex-lawyer lost it, he was screaming your name again and again and then when you passed out, some guards had to stop him from jumping to where you were, it wasn’t pretty, as you can imagine” Doyoung hears the rustling of paper sheets and lifts his head to look at Youngho moving through pages on the newspaper, “Taeyong’s in jail.”

 

And there they were, the best news Doyoung could’ve ever had in his life, he feels like crying again.

 

“You were out for five days though, we were worried you wouldn’t make it” Youngho says with a small smile, “Taeil’s body was found too, Taeyong admitted everything and he even sounded kinda proud of himself, this newspaper is from the day after the judgment ended, just in case you want to read the article about it.”

 

“Just tell me he’s gonna die in jail, that’s all I need to know” Doyoung says, his eyes getting teary.

 

“He is” Youngho affirms, “Two life sentences and no possibility to get out with a surety, he’s gonna root and die there. He hid the body in a freezer, he was probably waiting until the whole judgment deal solved to get rid of it.”

 

At this point Doyoung’s already crying in a mix of happiness and horror, burying his face into his hands so Youngho won’t see him even though is absolutely obvious he’s crying.

 

“hey now, don’t get too excited, you’re still weak, I need to call a doctor” Youngho says, standing up, but then he stands by the door for a moment and looks back, “Those flowers are your boyfriend’s, he’s been here for three days straight without going home to even get a shower, should I allow him to come in?”

 

Doyoung breaths out, and shakes his head instantaneously, he doesn’t want to see YoonOh, he has never been good at confrontation and he doesn’t want to explain to him that the reason he found another lawyer was because he knew he and Taeyong had some kind of alliance –plus he knows YoonOh would have never allowed him to use the serum, alliance with Taeyong or not–, and the direction things are taking for them now that everything is out was still uncertain.

 

“Is my friend Ten out there?” Doyoung asks instead.

 

“Yes, he is” Youngho says, his cheeks a bit red but Doyoung chooses to ignore it, Ten usually had that effect on people, “He has also been here for three days without ever leaving, he kind of… kicked my ass for allowing you to do this all, he’s got a bad temper huh?”

 

Doyoung can’t avoid it and a loud laugh escapes him, but it’s a bad thing, because his chest hurts and he has to lay back and breathe deep in.

 

“Don’t move, I’ll call a doctor.”

 

Apparently Doyoung is the luckiest dude on earth or something very, very close. The serum could’ve burnt his lungs, damage his nervous system without a possibility to heal and cause him a heart attack that could have most likely kill him, but instead it just fucked him a bit here and there, nothing that can’t heal by resting a lot and taking medicines, the doctor said, and Ten would’ve been all but jumping in one leg out of happiness if it wasn’t because, well, he was pretty much pissed off at Doyoung for doing such a thing without even consulting it with him.

 

“I’m sorry, Ten, you know I am!” Doyoung excused himself while lying on his bed, he tried to sit but Ten menaced him not to move, “it was something I had to do, if I had told you, you’d have probably convinced me not to do it.”

 

“What if you died Doyoung?” Ten says, tears pooling into his eyes and Doyoung can feel his heart breaking, “I’d have lost Taeil and then you, what would I have done?”

 

“Hey, no” Doyoung says, pulling at one of Ten’s hands to get him to sit on the bed beside him, “Nothing happened Ten I’m here, you don’t think you can get rid of me that easily, do you?”

 

“Don’t fucking joke like that!” Ten says, punching him on the shoulder, albeit softly, still pretty mad.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry” Doyoung apologizes once again, pulling at Ten’s hand once again so the smaller lays beside him, resting his chin on the same shoulder he hit, “So, I heard you kicked my lawyer’s ass?”

 

Ten laughs at that, wrapping an arm around Doyoung and hiding his face into his neck.

 

“It was also his fault that I was put through such a frightening moment” Ten says, “He deserves it as much as you do.”

 

They laugh softly together before the bedroom’s door opens, when Doyoung looks up he can see YoonOh standing in the doorframe, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and relief.

 

“I’m gonna give you two some time alone” Ten says, standing from the bed and brushing Doyoung’s bangs out of his face before walking out.

 

The silence is heavy, YoonOh remains standing by the door and he doesn’t lift his eyes to meet Doyoung’s.

 

“Youngho told me you didn’t want to see me” YoonOh says finally after some time, “I’m sorry, I just needed to see you… the past days have been like hell for me, I thought I would lose you.”

 

Despite himself and everything he knows, Doyoung feels himself grow warm inside, and he doesn’t know how to tell YoonOh that he already lost him a long time ago.

 

“Doyoung I’m not mad” YoonOh says then, after a few more minutes when the room is only filled with the noise of breathing, “I get why you did it, you don’t have to hide from me, I get that you thought it was the best and that you _knew_ I wouldn’t support you through it.”

 

“That’s not why I didn’t want to see you” Doyoung lets out, he really doesn’t want to have this conversation right now, but what other place could be as private anyway.

 

“Oh?” YoonOh says, curiosity mixed with pain in his eyes and Doyoung wonders why is that he always has to feel two things at a time.

 

They fall silent again, mainly because Doyoung doesn’t know what to say, he knew this moment would come and he knew he’d have to face YoonOh for what he did from the very beginning, but he never thought of what to say, how to speech, probably because he was trying not to think about it and enjoy the time he had with YoonOh before it was over.

 

But it’s over now, he needs to talk, he needs to explain, he needs to get it out of his chest.

 

“Why is it that you didn’t want to see me then?” YoonOh asks, he sounds small like a child that’s about to be scolded, he’s holding both his hands together and he’s looking at the floor.

 

“There are quite a few reasons, actually” Doyoung says, playing with the sheets, “First of all, because I know about you and Taeyong.”

 

It’s like a bomb, obviously, and the explosion of emotions it causes it’s disastrously clear in YoonOh’s face. Doyoung can tell he’s mainly shocked.

 

“I heard the two of you talking on the phone, so” Doyoung says, diverting his gaze from YoonOh and back to the sheets, “Also because I still kind of have feeling for you despite I know you were faking it all this time, and I need some space for myself.”

 

“I wasn’t…” YoonOh starts, gaping at him, “Taeyong… I mean, you…”

 

“That I have feelings for you is also why I didn’t say on the court that I know you two were working together, so I could save your ass, you’re welcome.”

 

“Doyoung, look at me love.”

 

“Don’t call me that” Doyoung frowns at him, fisting the sheets.

 

“I was never faking anything Doyoung I swear, I liked you from the very beginning, I _am_ in love with you” YoonOh says, his voice desperate.

 

“Don’t be” Doyoung answers in a curt way, still frowning at the other, and then adds, “I still have feelings for you, but I don’t want to be with you anymore.”

 

“Doyoung please, listen to me” YoonOh says, his eyes are getting teary and Doyoung has to look away so he keeps his own dry.

 

“No, you listen to me, I couldn’t possibly share any kind of relationship with someone like you” He says, the words harder than he meant them to be, “You saw what I went through because of Taeyong, the nightmares, the panic attacks, you saw my suffering and pretended to support me while in reality you were just making the process slower, giving Taeyong more and more time to be free after he fucking murdered the person I loved the most in this world and then you were going to use the thrust I placed on you against my own self, it broke my heart even more than it already was, I will never forgive you for this, get out of my room before I start screaming.”

 

At some point of his speech Doyoung started crying, so he cleans his cheeks with more force than is necessary and waits to hear the steps exiting the room.

 

“Doyoung, please” YoonOh says, Doyoung can hear how he’s crying and lifts his head to look at him just in the moment the taller gives a step forwards.

 

“Don’t you dare getting any closer, Jung YoonOh” Doyoung hisses, the words full of poison, and YoonOh is notoriously taken aback by this new Doyoung he had never seen before, “I don’t want to see you ever again in my life, leave before I regret my decision and tell everybody you were working with the snake of Taeyong.”

 

YoonOh hesitates, red cheeks soaked with tears coming from wide hurt eyes, staring deep into Doyoung’s soul.

 

“Leave!” Doyoung screams abruptly, causing YoonOh to jump back and Ten to quickly break into the room, a glance in both directions is all is needed and Ten is forcing YoonOh, twice his size, out of the room, the lawyer’s eyes never leaving Doyoung until the door is slammed shut.

 

Doyoung can clearly hear Ten yelling at YoonOh on the hall, it almost makes him want to laugh, Ten doesn’t even know why they were fighting but he still jumps to defend Doyoung whenever the situation seems like he needs to, he’s really a great friend, guiltiness grows in Doyoung’s heart for scare him like he did.

 

It takes like fifteen minutes until Ten is entering the room again, he’s smiling apologetically like he does when he knows Doyoung isn’t in his most cheerful mood, and he approaches him, sitting beside him in the bed.

 

“Hey buddy, I’ve got good news” Ten says, placing his hand on top of Doyoung’s, “The doctors said you can leave tomorrow, you just need to rest a lot, and I’m gonna take care of you okay?”

 

Doyoung flashes his best, most sincere smile, “Thank you so much, Ten, really.”

 

“Don’t worry man, I’ve got you.”

 

_It’s going to be alright_ , says Ten’s smile, and really, it is, nothing lasts forever, eventually the annoying pain in his chest when he thinks about YoonOh will fade, the overwhelming sadness he feels when he remembers Taeil will fade into a much smaller one, his nightmares will eventually stop chasing him and his life will come to be normal again –Well, as normal as it could be after all the madness. He’s going to be alright, Ten is going to be alright, even YoonOh is going to be alright one day if he comes to terms with what he did, Taeyong was already in jail where he couldn’t hurt anyone else, without a possibility to get out too, so really, it is going to be alright.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taeil’s _actual_ funeral happened a week later, it was beautiful with all of his closest friends and all the people who loved him, media was there too, but they were pushed back as soon as they reached the entrance by the police officers, some wanted a picture of the hall, some wanted a picture of Doyoung –accompanied by his statement, obviously–, and some were insensitive enough to ask for a picture of Taeil. However, Doyoung tried not to let it bother him too much, and focuses on making the event go as well as it could.

 

It had been hard, his health isn’t necessarily the best yet, he still can’t do certain stuff and needs to rest a lot, drink a lot of water to get whatever remaining of the serum could be lingering to his organism, but Ten is a big support, and Doyoung is trying hard.

 

Giving Taeil an actual goodbye feels good, throwing a rose to the ground knowing that justice had been made on his name feels lighter in Doyoung’s chest than it had felt when Taeyong was still free around the streets, and it lifts a weight off Doyoung’s chest to know his friend will be able to rest in peace now that the whole thing was solved.

 

After the ceremony ended, Doyoung took his time to go home, sending Ten off first and reassuring him that he’ll take a cap later, claiming that he needs some time alone in this place.

 

Doyoung’s sitting next to Taeil’s grave just looking at the sky when a shadow falls over him, and he doesn’t need to turn back to know who it is.

 

“What do you want?” Doyoung says, his voice stern.

 

“I came to present my respects” YoonOh answers, finding a sit next to Doyoung yet at an acceptable distance, knowing the older wouldn’t want him close.

 

“You don’t have any kind of respects” Doyoung fires back, “you’re a hypocrite.”

 

“I’m sorry, Doyoung” YoonOh whispers after a second, apparently pained by his sudden burst of fury, “I wish you’d allow me to explain.”

 

“What is the use?” Doyoung sighs, already tired of being around YoonOh, already tired of holding back his irrevocable desire to touch him and hug him again, “it doesn’t change anything, what is done is done, whatever you say can’t change that.”

 

“I was never faking it” YoonOh answers, “I truly fell for you, _I love you_ , regret was eating me inside Doyoung I was going to-”

 

“Stop” Doyoung says, so tired he can’t even cry, “Whatever you’re gonna say I don’t care, stop.”

 

“I was going to confess” YoonOh adds anyway, unwilling to give up, “I was going to tell everyone I swear to everything that’s good Doyoung.”

 

“And you expect me to believe you?” Doyoung snaps, “You were ready to stab me in the back, you allied with a murderer and were willing to send an innocent to jail, and what for YoonOh? Money? Is that all you care about?”

 

“It’s not how you think” He says, his voice suddenly quiet.

 

“I heard you two talking, he said he gave you a small fortune, is that what your dignity’s worth? Do you even have dignity at all?” Doyoung fires, his hands turned into fists at either side of himself so he stops them from reaching out for YoonOh, “whatever the circumstances were, you agreed to it, and even if it had been with any other person I don’t think I could allow myself to be attached to anyone who’s capable of such a thing.”

 

“I’m so sorry” YoonOh apologizes, his voice never louder than a whisper, and Doyoung can hear the tears, “I deserve your hate Doyoung, I’m so sorry.”

 

“Yes, you do deserve my hate” He blinks away his tears while watching YoonOh’s shine with the sunlight as they fall, “but more than that, I think you deserve your own hate. How many times have you done this? How many times have you sent someone absolutely honest and innocent to suffer a punishment that did not correspond to them? How many lives, besides mine, have you ruined?”

 

“None” YoonOh sobs, “None I swear, Taeyong just, he convinced me into this somehow, he convinced your first lawyer to quit the case and send you to me, too, he’s just… I was weak, I’m so sorry.” YoonOh sobs into his hands, and even though he doesn’t want to Doyoung can’t help but feel pity.

 

He places his hand in YoonOh’s back and rubs up and down a few times.

 

“If it helps in anything” Doyoung says after a few minutes where the only sounds between them are YoonOh’s muffled sobs, “I forgive you.”

 

YoonOh’s head snaps up and he looks at Doyoung like he’s crazy, shaking his head, his face is soaked with tears and his cheeks and nose are red.

 

“You can’t” YoonOh says, absolutely convinced, “What I did was unforgivable, Doyoung, you can’t.”

 

“I can” Doyoung sighs, squishing YoonOh’s shoulder before removing his hand of him, “I can’t hold on to these feelings all my life, Taeil wouldn’t have wanted it, and you’re truly regretful, so I forgive you. Don’t get me wrong, though, this doesn’t mean I’ll ever trust you again, much less that I’ll give you another chance, but I gotta let go of it. I forgive you.”

 

It’s not entirely truth. He hasn’t been forgiven just yet. But he will eventually be, because if something _wasn’t_ a lie, was that Doyoung knew he couldn’t cling to such a negative experience for his whole life. He had to let it go, and though he might never forgive Taeyong, forgiving YoonOh would already be an enormous step.

 

YoonOh placed his hand in top of Doyoung’s over the grass, and for a few beats, Doyoung allows him to.

 

“Thank you so much” He says, and it’s not necessary for Doyoung to remove his hand, YoonOh does it on his own.

 

“I’m just gonna ask you one favor, please stay away from me” Doyoung says, his gaze fixated on the distance, “Don’t even think about me, please, I… I deserve better, so please stay away from me.”

 

YoonOh doesn’t say anything for a few moments, but Doyoung knows he’s not pondering, knows YoonOh understood from the very first word that it wasn’t a _favor_ neither it was a _petition_ , it was an _order_ , a soft order to stay away from him.

 

He hears YoonOh sigh, and then the taller man stands up and cleans the inexistent dust off his pants.

 

“Would you at least accept it if I told you I honestly love you? In present time, my heart is still yours” He says, but he looks to the front only, not daring to lower his eyes at Doyoung, who thinks about it for a few seconds.

 

“What difference would it make?”

 

“You’re right” YoonOh huffs lowly, “You know I’m just a sentimental fool, I’m sorry.”

 

They remain in silence for around 3 minutes before YoonOh walks away, his silhouette getting smaller with each step, zigzagging between all the graves placed in the floor, and while he slowly fades away into the graveyard, black suit tight and shoulders plopped down, it seems like sadness itself is walking away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well kids, that's been it, that's the ending. I had so much fun working on this and I had even more fun reading the panicked comments *Insert evil laugh* it even makes me kinda sad that this comes to an end already, I want to thank all of you for leaving comments that spurred me to actually finish this, (I'd still be on the first chapter if not) and I hope y'all had actually enjoyed this.

**Author's Note:**

> if you made it all the way here thank you so much!!! this au is kind of messy and confusing but I guess it gets clearer as the story goes on? don't feel afraid to ask anything about it anway, and even if you don't want to continue reading after this I really appreciate you at least finished the chapter lmao, I'm also leaving these here so you can talk to me, give me ideas, send hate or whatever if you want, thank you again!  
> [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/dumbwoojae)  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/DumbWoojae)


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